Warriors: A New Beginning
by NightBurd
Summary: A new series of Warrior Cats, written by myself. I DO NOT OWN WARRIORS OR ANY OF THE CATS FROM STARCLAN IN THIS STORY. Beware of spoilers for Firestar's Quest! If you haven't read it, don't read this! ENJOY!
1. Author

Author's note:

DISCLAIMER:

I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CATS FROM STARCLAN IN THIS STORY, OR WARRIORS ITSELF. ALL OF THESE BELONG TO THE SEVERAL ERIN HUNTERS.

Great, now that's out of the way. This book is very similar to Firestar's Quest and/or SkyClan's Destiny, and I'm REALLY sorry about that. I'm not greatly imaginative XD Leading on from that, my Warrior's names are terrible.

If I have left any grammar or punctuation mistakes in here then forgive me and PM me about it. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM + TROLLING =

BIG DIFFERENCE.

Also, this is my first story, so it won't be very good, but I'm hoping to do a series of six books, of which this is the first: Ice.

Now, let's see if you can even be bothered to read it now that I've told you that it's crap!

NightBurd


	2. Prologue

Warriors: A New Beginning 

Book One

Ice

Prologue

The moon shone eerily in the usually bustling forest, and made the rocks turn silver, the trees white, and the cats on the ground shimmer with starlight in their fur and paws. All the cats were silent, shifting occasionally on the cliff top, most with their heads down, but still many curious ones looking around anxiously. They were gathered in a huge semi-circle, some in the forest, the cliff top not big enough to contain such a number of cats.

Suddenly, a warning yowl broke out from behind the tree line, and the cats looked up, some getting to their paws to watch, as around ten cats, bigger and stronger than most on the rocks, ran through to the centre rock. In the lead was a muscular ginger tom, with bright amber eyes, who sat down in the middle of the cliff top, on a rock surrounded by five little pools. Once all the cats had gathered, the ginger tom got to his paws, and yowled a summons.

"Let all cats within StarClan gather at the MoonCliff, for a meeting that will change the course of the Clans, forever."

He sat, only for a protesting yowl from a group of flat faced cats to the east of the tom.

"The Clans are dead. Let us rest in peace!" A dark furred tom mewed. He was silenced by several sharp glares from the cats on the rock. A blue grey she-cat with piercing blue eyes stood and started to speak.

"Fellow StarClan members. It has been many, many seasons since the Clans disbanded, but we have finally traced the last pure Clan-born cats, and we have decided that five of those cats, of an apprentice age, will each found their own Clan." At this, there was an outbreak of muttering, shocked yowls and doubting protests. "SILENCE!" a strong brown tom yowled and the crowd was hushed. The she-cat nodded to the tom. "Thank you, Raggedstar.

"There is nothing you can do to change this, the council have already chosen the cats and the Clans, and all we are here to do tonight, is to show you who was chosen." She stepped back, and let the ginger tom take over.

"Me and Bluestar have chosen that the new ThunderClan be lead by a Clan-born cat, who does not know his roots." More yowls and muttering. "His name is currently Flame, soon to be Flamepaw, then Flamestar once his training is completed. The Clan-born cats will teach him all they know, and shall train him until he is fit to become leader, of FlameClan."

"FlameClan cats are small, as they must crawl through undergrowth in their forests. Nevertheless, they are great warriors." Yowls of encouragement came from a grey and a white tom. The ginger tom nodded and smiled in their direction as he stepped back. Next to him and Bluestar, a tabby tom stepped forward with a leopard spotted she-cat behind him.

"For RiverClan, we have chosen a she-cat brought up with the ways of the Warrior Code. Her name is Icepaw, leader of IceClan. IceClan cats have long, thick fur to protect from the cold weather at the peak of the mountain in their territory. They can swim, and are brave warriors that fight like LionClan when the time comes!" He smiled as a few mews broke out in satisfaction from some sleek furred cats near the pools.

"For ShadowClan," Raggedstar began, "we have chosen a brown tabby tom with a talent for climbing. This is not ShadowClan's strong point, but we believe that Treepaw can strive this way to found the great TreeClan!"

"WindClan have chosen a kittypet with Clan blood through and through. She knows of her roots, and has always wanted to be a warrior, and we believe that she has the skill set needed to found the new BreezeClan. Breezepaw has long legs, perfect for running around the moor where her new territory will be."

"And finally, SkyClan has previously been rejected, but this hostility will stand no more! The new SkyClan will be run by Stonepaw, a Clan cat all the way. He has strong back legs to jump over the many rocks and boulders in his territory, and he will teach StoneClan to do this also." Leafstar finished. "These cats will find loners and kittypets with certain abilities that fit their Clan, and bring them together, to create,

the new Clans.


	3. Chapter One

Chapter One

A New Beginning

Icepaw awoke to a forest, full of wonderful scents and the sound of a river. She stood there in awe at it's perfection for a heartbeat, and then alarm ran through her like a lightening bolt from StarClan. Where was she? Where was her home? Two cats approached her, a tabby tom with a crooked jaw and a golden she-cat, with a leopard like pattern on her fur. She backed away, scared that they would attack her, but they approached calmly, and Icepaw was too frozen with fear to move. How strong they looked! How ruffled their pelts were, how bright their eyes! The tabby tom spoke.

"Don't be afraid Icepaw. I am Crookedstar, and this is Leopardstar, we have an important message to give you." Crookedstar's expression grew grim, and Leopardstar's eyes narrowed.

"This is more than a dream. This is a message from StarClan. A long time ago, there were fou-" Leopardstar stopped and corrected herself. "Five Clans that lived in a land a long way away from here. There was SkyClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ThunderClan, each a group of cats with a different skill. We came from RiverClan, and when we died we went to StarClan. But you know all of this, don't you Icepaw?"

Icepaw nodded, and she flattened her fur. These were Clan cats, her ancestors.

"It's a great honour to meet you, Leopardstar, Crookedstar." She managed to squeak, and she cursed herself at how pathetic she sounded, as she dipped her head in respect. Crookedstar chuckled, and Leopardstar managed a smile. "The honour is ours." Leopardstar purred.

"The Clans disbanded long ago, as I'm sure you know, and the council of StarClan have decided that we must do something about it." Crookedstar continued.

"We have chosen you, Icepaw, to continue RiverClan, in a new land, with a new name. Four other cats of the apprentice age are being told the same thing, right now, by their own ancestors. You will become the leader of the new IceClan." Icepaw's jaw dropped open, but Leopardstar continued to speak.

"Do not doubt yourself, or your comrades, you are all working together towards the future of the Clans, and you have been chosen by the council because we _know _you are ready. I will help you along the way, but your quest is simple;

You will choose your territories fairly, and have equal amounts of Clan-mates. To find them, you must seek rogues, kittypets and loners, and bring them together. There are other Clan-born cats in your area, but you will need to find them.

IceClan will live the highest in the mountains, and you will learn to swim and have long, thick fur. I'm afraid that is all we can reveal for now Icepaw. Meet your comrades at the lightning tree by the river at Sunhigh today, and remember, you must _work together._ Good luck."

And with that, the trees around them started to swirl and disappear, as did they.

"Wait!" she cried desperately, but she awoke in her cave, with the damp smell of rain on the wind. She sighed. _Well that's great. I'm supposed to found a Clan with _that_? _She thought hopelessly. But, whatever the day, she still had to eat. She turned to wash her sleek white fur, her pale blue eyes sparkling in the dark, empty den. Ever since Icepaw's parents had died, things had been harder. She could survive of course, she had been brought up to be a warrior. _But never made one..._

Snowtail and Dragonheart had told her countless times that she was ready to become a warrior, however, neither of them had been leaders of a Clan, and could not summon StarClan to grant her as a warrior. At least, if she did manage to found a new IceClan, her parents would be proud, and she wouldn't need to be a warrior.

Icepaw lay in the den for a little while, waiting for the rain to pass over, and then she crept out of her den, out into the cold mountaintop forest. The river was at the bottom of the mountain, but the mountain was small, and she guessed that if she left straight after she ate, then she would make it there by Sunhigh. Crouching low, she decided that today, it would be cold in the river, but easier to find prey. Padding towards the river, she wondered what the other 'paws would be like. Would they be strong and lean, or small and cowardly? Surely StarClan wouldn't choose a cat to be a leader if they couldn't fight...would they? She noted that on the journey, she would work with the other leaders, but not get too close to them, for they would be her enemies once everything was set up. And what about the Clan-born cats? Sure, she was at warrior standard, but she didn't know how to start a whole Clan, for StarClan's sake! What if all the Clan-born cats went to one Clan, then what would she do?

_SPLASH!_

She cursed, as a silver fish the size of her paw darted away from her, and splashed her face with droplets of freezing water. She hadn't even noticed as she ventured into the river! Icepaw noticed another bigger fish lurking a little way ahead of her, lying at the bottom of the bank, and she sank down low into the water. She came just within reach, and she dashed her paw into the river and out, the fish squirming as her claws ensnared it. She slammed it onto the bank, and the squirming stopped immediately. She climbed out and started eating greedily. There hadn't been much prey this LeafBare-

She stopped dead in her tracks. _I don't believe this! We're supposed to set up a Clan in _LeafBare_? _She forced herself to calm down. After all, this was StarClan. She should really have more faith in her ancestors.

She finished her fish, and dug a hole for the bones. The sun was nearing it's highest point in the sky, which meant she might have to race down the mountain. She groaned. She trotted along at first, but realising the issue at hand, she started to race, feeling the wind in her fur, and the sun on her face as it broke through the clouds. She hadn't seen many other cats in her life time, and it would be hard to adapt to a big Clan. But, she wouldn't be alone. The kittypets and loners had all been previously alone too, so at least they would all share an anxiety, whatever their Clan. She was nearing the river, and although she was exhausted from racing down the mountain, Icepaw was late, and that was the last thing she wanted. First impressions were important.

As she neared the clearing where the tree struck by lightning was, she padded confidently in and tried to look strong as she-

"Aaargh!"


	4. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Comrades

"Aaargh!" Icepaw instinctively rolled onto her side as someone pounced onto her back and gripped onto her fur. She rolled off and easily pounced onto him, exposing his belly fur and pinning him by his front paws. He spat at her, and she saw that he was a young, muscly tom, with grey fur, with a white chest and paws, and currently fierce amber eyes. She was surprised he wasn't pinning her.

"What was that for, you mouse-brain!" she spat at him. He struggled but gave up.

"You're an intruder! We're on a quest from StarClan! I bet you don't even know what that is fish-breath!" he snorted, and Icepaw looked up to see three other apprentice aged cats staring at them. She purred with amusement.

"I'm helping you, you fox-heart!" she purred, in a good natured way. Meanwhile the grey tom just snorted again.

"Yeah right! You're too big to be an apprentice." he scoffed. Icepaw got off him, but kept her muscles tense.

"You're right. I should have been a warrior a long time ago, but i'm not, and i'll bet i'm the most experienced of all of you." she mewed. He got up and quickly washed his dust covered pelt.

"Or were you expecting a mouse to come and help you on your quest?" she snarled, still angry at being attacked when she was trying to cooperate. A long-legged black she-cat with a light brown chest and paws came forward nervously, obviously still doubting the trust they were supposed to form as a group. _I don't blame her, what with this pile of fox-dung! _she thought angrily, but she forced her fur to lie flat as the cat came towards her.

"Um, hi." she stammered. Icepaw smiled reassuringly.

"It's ok, we're supposed to be working together, _right?"_ she glared at the grey tom.

"Yeah." she meowed more confidently. "Well, anyway, I'm Breezer." Icepaw cocked her head and frowned in confusion. That wasn't a Clan name. Breezer quickly tried to cover it up, seeing Icepaw's confusion.

"I mean, Breezepaw. I'm not used to my new name yet..."

"Wait, you mean you're a kittypet?" Icepaw looked horrified.

"Yes, well, no...not anymore."

"So you've had no training. At all?" she asked frustratedly.

"No..." she frowned. "Is that a problem?" she looked concerned. At least she seemed to care. "Well of cour-" she breathed deeply and tried to maintain her calm. So much for being chosen by StarClan.

"Yes. It's quite a big one." she said steadily. A tiny reddish brown tom piped up from the corner of the clearing.

"Me too. I am...was a kittypet. I haven't had training." he frowned.

Icepaw sighed. "But, you're ancestors are training you, right?" she asked. They both shook their heads.

"Firestar said that if I needed help, my comrades would help me." he said strongly.

Icepaw shook her head. "No, not from scratch..." she mewed desperately.

"Hey, you said you were a warrior right?" the grey tom mewed smugly. She whirled around to face him and hissed, resisting the urge to snap at this over confident kit. She turned back around.

"Ok, that's fine. You've been trained right?" she asked to the brown tabby tom in the corner, he didn't seem shy, just...uninterested. He got up and nodded, and she noticed his really long tail for the first time.

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm not as good as you, but I can help you train these two. I'm Treepaw. That was Stonepaw, by the way. I know you guys got off on the wrong foot, but for the sake of the Clans, why don't we just forget it. Mhmm?" Treepaw mewed. Icepaw took an instant liking to this Treepaw. He didn't get involved, he waited until it was over, and then acted maturely. This was the kind of tom she could work with. She smiled and nodded confidently.

"Well we'd better get to work then. We'll need to sleep together from now on, until you're fully trained." Stonepaw glared at her. "Who has the biggest den?"

Treepaw mewed, "I sleep in the trees." Icepaw smiled. "No kidding." she purred.

"I just sleep under a bush. It's not that big." Icepaw looked astonished.

"What? That would be horrible!" she mewed disgustingly. She made her fur lie flat. "Sorry. Keep to your own traditions, it'll be important when it comes to building the Clans. What about you?" She said calmly to Stonepaw.

"I live in a cluster of boulders. It's tall, but it's not big." Stonepaw replied steadily, and Icepaw was glad to see that he was being more serious. Icepaw turned to Breezepaw, but she shook her head. "I live under a bush too, but it's only big enough for one."

"What about you?" Treepaw asked.

"I live in a cave. It's big enough for all of us, and there's a little camp there as well with more caves like mine. But you'll find the environment harsh to cope with. Why don't we all just stay down here and find a temporary camp..?" She suggested. Treepaw nodded approvingly, and even Stonepaw mewed in satisfaction.

"Ok then. Why don't we go under that willow tree? Treepaw can cling on up there, Flamepaw and Breezepaw can go under some bushes, and me and Stonepaw will have to share that little cave down there."

"What?" Stonepaw yowled. "Never! I don't sleep in enclosed spaces, that's why I sleep _behind_ boulders. I'll go under that shelf of rock." He pointed with his tail. Icepaw shrugged.

"Suit yourself. We'll have to sort out apprentices and mentors. Treepaw, you can take Flamepaw, and i'll take Breezepaw. We'll take it in turns with Stonepaw, and you guys have to adapt your own fighting and hunting styles. We'll teach you the basics, but the Clans can't all use the same techniques. Got it?" They all nodded, surprisingly, even Stonepaw. Icepaw wasn't aware that she was taking control of the situation, but she was doing it right, and only Stonepaw seemed to mind. So far, this was going a lot better than she had dared to hope.

"Take that you stinking badger!"

_What?_

"Aaaand that! And that! AND THAT!"

_A badger..._

Icepaw jumped to her feet, her snow white fur on end and her claws out, muscles tense as she hissed, ready to join the fight. Her companions looked up at her.

"Something wrong Icepaw?" Treepaw asked. Icepaw stayed in her position, wondering how they could all be so calm, and her expression changed from alarm to confusion.

"Wha...b-b-ut, the badger..?" she stammered, still half asleep. Stonepaw sniggered.

"Breezepaw decided to get up and train early while YOU slept in, oh great leader." he mewed, smiling that smug smile that Icepaw had decided that she hated so quickly. Her muscles relaxed but her hackles were still raised.

"We don't have a leader. Everyone in this group has equal stren-er...potential. I mean, we were all chosen by StarClan, right?" she mewed steadily, and forced her fur to lie flat, as Stonepaw snorted, and got to his paws to stretch. His muscles rippled through his ruffled grey fur, the white on his chest seeming like a bright cloud on a rainy day. Although lacking in skill, Icepaw dreaded the day when his training would be complete, and she may have to battle him. He would be a formidable leader, and she decided to be careful around him, and to make sure not to anger him.

Breezepaw, her black, sleek fur shining in the sunlight, with her brown chest and paws, was the opposite of Stonepaw. Although she was stall, and could run like the wind, she had virtually no muscle, and had previously been a kittypet. Icepaw supposed that since she was training her, Breezepaw was her apprentice, in a way.

She stretched, and washed her fur. She padded over to her, _apprentice_, and sat next to her, indicating with her tail that she should copy her movements.

"How did you sleep?" Icepaw asked, licking her paw.

Breezepaw nodded. "Not bad. But I never really sleep that well anyway." she mewed.

"I don't want to be nosy, but what's with the badger? Where you attacked as a kit or something?" Breezepaw looked up in alarm.

"No, no nothing like that. Why?" she mewed.

"It's just, you sounded...well, brave but also petrified. Even though, you weren't fighting anything..." she trailed off, looking gently at the cat she'd known for such a short amount of time. Breezepaw sighed, her fawn coloured chest puffing out as she did so. She repositioned herself, lying down, and Icepaw lay down too. She took a deep breath, but she exhaled in a hurry.

"Nothing, I'm just...scared of badgers. That's all." she looked at the dying grass beneath their paws. Icepaw decided not to push the subject. They barely knew each other, and this was obviously a personal matter. She got to her paws, and nudged Breezepaw with her shoulder, purring.

"Well, come on then. Today's gonna be a biiiiig day!"


	5. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:

Training

Treepaw padded up to Icepaw, who was washing her fur by the trunk of the willow tree that left the giant camp shaded.

"Hey, I'm going to take Breezepaw to the moor, we might not be back until Moonhigh, but hopefully we'll bring some prey. Can you take Stonepaw?" she asked hopefully. Treepaw nodded reassuringly.

"Sure thing. Flamepaw's been bouncing off the trees, and Stonepaw...well, he's trying to play it cool. He thinks this training thing is far beneath him. I think I'll just teach them the Clan basics today." he chuckled quietly. Icepaw purred her thanks, and headed out of the trees shade, flicking her tail for her apprentice to follow. She was still getting used to the flat land here, missing her mountain home. She had started to doubt her ability as a mentor to Breezepaw, but she would have to develop her own style anyway. They started off padding, but then Icepaw picked up the pace, beckoning for Breezepaw to follow. They stopped at a willow tree, just behind the tree line before the moor started. She sat. Her ears twitching.

"Now I know you were a kittypet," the black furred apprentice flinched. "sorry, house cat. But let's put that behind us, and start a fresh." she twitched her ears.

"Can you hear that..." she whispered. Breezepaw frowned and leaned in. Icepaw closed her eyes and blocked all her other senses, listening to the birds...the mice...the fish...

"There!" she turned her head towards a brown rabbit, a little way across the moor. Breezepaw nodded, but she turned to Icepaw. "What about it?" the 'paw mewed. The white long haired she-cat purred in amusement, and shook her head.

"You eat it."

"That? A rabbit?"

"Yes. Watch." Icepaw crouched low, and stalked until she was a couple of fox-lengths away from the creature, checking that she was downwind. She sprung up, and pelted as fast as she could after her fleeing prey, and when she was a tail-length away, she jumped up and landed on it, her claws out, as she thumped it's neck. It immediately stopped wriggling, and she held it in her jaws, as she padded back to Breezepaw, who's eyes were wild in awe and shock. Icepaw dropped it at her paws.

"When you catch prey, you must not eat it. You would bring it back to the Clan, and give it to the queens or the elders. Once every cat has prey, then you would eat. But we don't have a Clan, and neither you nor I have eaten today, so why don't we share this now?" she smiled, but Breezepaw looked unsure. "Have you never eaten meat?" she asked.

"Only in the packets my housefolk would give me." Icepaw pushed it closer, but she backed away, before taking a deep breath, and biting into the rabbits throat. Her eyes widened. "This is good!" she mewed with a mouth full of meat. Her mentor purred, and took a bite.

They ate in silence, with the occasional "Mmmm!" or "Wow..." added from Breezepaw. Once they had finished, Icepaw showed her how to bury the remains, by digging a hole and shoving the bones in.

"Now," she mewed, once they had finished. "your turn." Breezepaw shook her head, and opened her mouth to speak, but the white she-cat continued.

"You crouch low, and crawl for a while," she dropped into a stalking position, and beckoned for her apprentice to copy. "keeping your tail and belly low, but not quite touching the ground," she adjusted her position. "and your haunches higher up than the rest of your body, but not high enough to break through the heather. Ok so far?" she asked, and Breezepaw nodded. Icepaw stood, and pushed her belly up, and her paws further apart.

"Your weight must be spread evenly across all four paws, so that you can feel the vibrations in the ground, and that you don't trip. Make sure you're downwind." Breezepaw stared hard at the moor in front of her. "What's that?" she meowed.

"It's when the wind in blowing towards you. It means that the prey in front of you cannot smell you, but you can still smell it." she mewed. "You're downwind right now.

I want you to go after that rabbit there. Stalk it until you are a few fox-lengths away, and then spring into the air. If you're lucky, you can pounce on it there and then, and crack it's spine. But most likely it will hear you, see you or smell you, and you will have to run as fast as you can to catch it. You got it?" she asked. Breezepaw nodded, looking determined and focused as she stalked out of the trees. "Good luck!" she whispered behind her. Once she started running, Icepaw lost her in the fields, but a few minutes later, Breezepaw was glowing and purring at her mentor, dragging a huge white rabbit in her jaws.

Once they returned to their temporary camp, Icepaw had a bird and a mouse, whilst Breezepaw had two rabbits. They returned a little earlier than planned; at Sundown, but the prey was eagerly greeted. Flamepaw and Treepaw shared a rabbit, Stonepaw ate the bird, Breezepaw ate her other rabbit, and Icepaw ate her mouse.

"This is good hunting for LeafBare. Where did you go?" Treepaw asked, flicking his long tabby tail. Icepaw turned to her apprentice. Breezepaw shrugged.

"I went to the moor and Icepaw went to the trees on the edge." she noticed Icepaw's disgusted look. "What's wrong?" the black furred she-cat asked, frowning at the prey in Icepaw's grasp.

"I don't usually eat mice. Up in the mountains, it's just birds and fish really." she shrugged.

"It's just...musty." she wrinkled her nose, and Flamepaw purred.

"It's so weird that you would think that! Mouse is soooo good, Treepaw brought some back today. Fish...well, no offence but it's all slimy and gross." this time, Flamepaw wrinkled his nose, and everyone laughed.

The group had a good time that evening, and Flamepaw and Breezepaw, being the youngest, went to sleep, while Stonepaw sat on guard.

_Not that we really need one, but it's good to get into the habit. _Icepaw thought. Treepaw padded over to her, and sat down.

"Well done today. With Breezepaw, I mean." he mewed quietly.

"Thanks. She adapted what I taught her to suit her own needs. She's so fast as well!" she purred. Treepaw looked at Icepaw. "Tomorrow, I think I'll teach Flamepaw to hunt. Stonepaw knows how to hunt, but he doesn't understand much of Clan life, so I think you three should just stay in camp once the dawn breaks." Icepaw nodded. "Do you have any parents?" he continued. Icepaw shook her head, and looked at the ground.

"Do you?" "No." Silence followed their questions, but Icepaw didn't want to seem rude, so she quietly bid Treepaw a good night, and she went to her little cave, Treepaw up the willow branches.


	6. Chapter Four

**Hi everyone! Sorry about not uploading yesterday, I moved houses and we don't have word there yet, so I had to do this at school...:( So this time, I'm uploading three at a time to say sorry. Over the top, I know, but these next few chapters are good ones, so I can't wait to let you read them! Thanks for waiting,**

**xxNightxx **

Chapter Four

Clan Rules

Icepaw blinked in the darkness of the cave, the feathers underneath her warm and soft. She didn't want to get up, but a firm prod in her belly got her to her paws. She saw Flamepaw's reddish brown pelt, and he smiled at her.

"Good morning. Treepaw said that he wants to start hunting patrols, and that today you and him would go out. Sorry to wake you." he mewed, and backed out of the cave. His fear scent was rubbed on the walls of her cave, and she replaced them with her own. She wondered why he was scared, until she realised that this was a much darker den than a bush, and much more enclosed. That must be why.

She washed, and stretched before coming out into the light of the dawn, and saw the brown tabby tom waiting for her. A feeling of warmth rushed through her at the sight of another skilled Clan cat, and she was glad to finally spend time with him alone. She bounded up to him, and mewed, "This is a good idea. Shall we go?" he nodded, and lead the way out into the forest. They travelled in silence, until they reached a clearing filled with birdsong. Treepaw turned to Icepaw, and flicked his tail over his mouth. She nodded, and he started to climb up an oak tree. _How in StarClan does he do that? _she thought. _He's amazing..._ The long-tailed tom reached a branch below a fat sparrow, and he leapt up to catch it with his claws, and landed, perfectly balanced, on the branch again, twisting the birds neck when he came back down.

"How do you do that?" she mewed in awe. "What? Climb?" he asked. "I thought you ate birds?" he cocked his head.

"Yeah, but I catch them on the ground, or the lowest branches. I don't climb the actual tree!" she purred at his madness. It was dangerous, and risky, but he was so skillful at it, and so graceful. She purred, and padded to a stream. She sat by the water, keeping her shadow away from the edge, keeping absolutely stone still. A huge fish came along, and she darted her paw in and out again, her long claws out. It landed on the bank and she thumped it's neck, killing it instantly. She grabbed two more fish, and Treepaw found another two birds. They returned to camp to find everyone hungry, and they divided the kills equally, eating like savages. They left a bird and Icepaw's big fish on the makeshift food pile for Breezepaw, Icepaw and Stonepaw if they got hungry. Treepaw and Flamepaw left soon after they ate, and the threesome sat down by the trunk of the willow tree.

"Today, we're going to stay in camp, and just learn the rules of Clan life." she explained.

"What, and not do anything?" Stonepaw mewed in confusion.

"The Warrior Code is just as important as being able to hunt or fight, if not, more." she glared at him. "Where to start...ok. So when you catch prey, what do you do first?"

"Bring it back to the Clan. You only eat when the rest of the Clan has been fed." Breezepaw replied. Icepaw smiled. "That's right. And in a battle, if you have an enemy warrior pinned down, what would you do?" she asked.

"You would kill them!" Stonepaw snarled. Icepaw frowned. "Wrong. We would never kill another cat unless StarClan themselves had permitted it, or you had no other option.

"In a Clan, the most important cats and the elders, the queens and their kits."

"What about the leader?" Breezepaw interrupted, and Stonepaw mewed in agreement.

"Of course, the leader is also important, but when you return to your camp with prey, you must give it to those cats first, because they are in most need of food. In a Clan, everyone has a different status. No one is the most important, when it comes to rank and strength or skill. You have a leader, who would always have 'star at the end of their name. They would lead the Clan into battle, be in charge of the Clan, and have nine lives. A deputy is second in charge, and would have a normal warrior name. They organise patrols, and can advise the Clan leader on battle or hunting related issues. Then, we have a medicine cats, who know all about herbs, and can heal the Clan cats from wounds and diseases. They are also in most contact with StarClan. They are the leader's link to StarClan, and receive dreams and prophecies from them, as most cats can't receive dreams from our ancestors. Being the chosen ones of course, we can." Breezepaw sat a little higher, and Stonepaw puffed out his chest and smiled. "They meet once very half moon with the other medicine cats from other Clans. They can have apprentices, and only two can be in a Clan at a time. They do not fight, and do not have enemies. They cannot have kits, or a mate either."

"But that's not fair!" Breezepaw cried. "What if they do fall in love?"

"They are forbidden from have a mate, for the good of the Clan." Icepaw mewed sternly, but Breezepaw still looked upset.

"Then, the elders, who are retired warriors. They are looked after by the apprentices, and they do not join battles, or patrols of any kind. The apprentices are cats over the age of six moons, and are in training to be a warrior from their mentor, who would be a skilled warrior. Once apprentices have been taught all that their mentor knows, they will have a ceremony, conducted by their leader, who will give them their warrior name. This ceremony goes for deputies as well, and apprentices must have 'paw on the end of their name. Medicine cat apprentices are made medicine cats by their mentor, and this will be done at a half moon meeting in front of the other medicine cats. A leader is escorted to a sacred, StarClan related place, by their medicine cat, and they are given their name and nine lives in a dream from StarClan. What exactly goes on, is a secret from everyone but the leaders. Let me tell you about patrols. Patrols can be hunting ones, consisting of three, four or five cats, and at least one apprentice. They will hunt for their Clan, and bring back prey. Border patrols will rub their scent on the line between two territories of different Clans, and if a cat from another Clan crosses the border line, this must be investigated, and may lead to a battle. Once cat must sit on duty every night at the entrance of a camp, to watch for danger. To finish, in a camp you would have, the entrance, a secret escape path out of the camp, a nursery for the queens and kits, the leader's den, for the leader to sleep, and sometimes with his mate, an apprentices den, a warriors den, the medicine cat's den, which would contain herbs as well as their nest, and an elder's den, with a food pile in the middle of the central clearing." Icepaw's head whipped around to the branches of a willow tree where many, many cats were emerging. The threesome got up, hackles raised and claws out.

"What are you doing here?" a lean brown tabby tom with fierce blue eyes growled at the threesome. "What are you doing here?" Icepaw snarled, and Stonepaw hissed threateningly. The tom took a step towards them, at the head of the huge group of cats, a couple stepping forward with him, whilst the others coward at the back.

"This is our home. This our camp." he spat. Icepaw snorted at him, and Stonepaw unsheathed his claws, but slid them back in again with a sharp glance from the white she-cat. Breezepaw's hackles rose, but Icepaw could smell her fear scent.

"That's a load of fox-du-" she tried to calm herself. "We've been here for three dawns and we haven't seen a single one of you before." she mewed.

"We went away for a half-moon, but now we're back. And you have to leave immediately." the same tom stepped closer, and Icepaw copied him. He had strong looking hind paws, but she noticed that he was thin, like most of the cats behind him. She reckoned that he was the same age as her. They were nose to nose now, each snarling and hissing at each other. She heard Stonepaw's claws slip out again. "Who are you anyway?" she asked.

"We are HopeClan, of which I am the leader!"


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

HopeClan

"You're what now?"

"The last of the Clan born cats. Ever heard of them, kittypet?" he snarled. It was them!These were the last Clan borns! _We found them! Or rather...they found us._ She relaxed, and felt Breezepaw sigh and Stonepaw's claws slide back in. The tabby frowned in confusion. "That's a relief." she purred.

"Why? Who are you?" he snarled, still tense and furious.

"Well we're not kittypets!" Stonepaw snarled, obviously still hostile towards these strangers. "Stonepaw!" Icepaw mewed angrily. She turned back to the tom.

"I am Icepaw, the grey tom is Stonepaw, and that's Breezepaw. We, along with two others, have been chosen to rebuild the Clans." she mewed confidently, puffing out her chest.

"Ha! Chosen by who, pipsqueak?" he snorted. Icepaw started to bristle again.

"StarClan, you fox-heart!" she snarled again. Just then, Treepaw and Flamepaw came crashing through the branches. "Who are these guys?" Flamepaw mewed.

"The last of the Clan born cats. They call themselves HopeClan." Breezepaw explained.

"Ah. These are the other two, Treepaw, and Flamepaw." Icepaw added to the tabby. He opened his mouth to complain and laugh at them, but a white tortoiseshell tabby with gold and ginger patches and long legs raced forward. "Wait! Thorntail wait! I received a message from StarClan a few dawns ago, but I thought it may be...u-untrue. These are the cats who will lead the new Clans! We are meant to join them. To split into five different Clans, of which they are leaders. IceClan, FlameClan, TreeClan, BreezeClan and StoneClan. I know it Thorntail. I'm sure of it." she mewed to the tabby. Thorntail looked angry at first, but he turned to look at her. "You are very, very sure Moorfeather?" Moorfeather nodded. He turned back to the crowd of cats. "What about you Lilystep? What do you think of this, prophecy?" Another tortoiseshell, with white brown, and gold patches and strong legs like Thorntail, nodded from the crowd. "I received the same dream as Moorfeather." she came to stand beside the she-cat, and Icepaw was sure they were sisters. Thorntail turned back to Icepaw. "I think I owe you an apology, Icepaw." he smiled.

"You too Thorntail." Icepaw purred. "I don't know where to start. We are still training Flamepaw and Breezepaw...we haven't even decided camps yet." she stammered. Lilystep came forward. "I think we should each divide the cats first. You can continue your training, but we must split as soon as possible, so that you have time to bond and learn together." she mewed, and Icepaw noticed her bright green eyes for the first time.

"Now?" an old brown tabby cried from the crowd. "As soon as possible." Lilystep nodded.

"Me and Lilystep will divide you, so it is fair, three of HopeClan into each Clan." Moorfeather mewed. "Stand in a line great leaders." Icepaw felt glowing with pride at being treated so highly. Moorfeather turned to the crowd. "You get who you get, and you don't get upset." she smiled. Lilystep started to call names.

"First, for IceClan, Brightfang, Ashenwhisker and Wispyheart." A tortoiseshell she-cat with deep blue eyes and long fur rubbed flanks with Icepaw, and then came a dark grey tom with grey eyes, helping along an light grey she-cat with yellow eyes who was panting, and had a very swollen belly came towards her. She helped Wispyheart over to the base of the willow tree.

"That's not fair! She's expecting, that means she'll have more cats than anyone else in a couple of dawns!" someone whined. Thorntail shrugged.

"Someone has to have her." he meowed bluntly. Lilystep continued.

"For FlameClan, Wasptail, Elderflower," someone groaned. "and Pantherclaw." A small ginger tom with black stripes padded over to Flamepaw, smiling, and two warriors, a tiny expecting sand coloured she-cat and a strong looking black tom came over as well, the apprentices seeming stuck to one another.

"In TreeClan, Peachfur, Bluesky and Cloverbelly."

"With BreezeClan, Moorfeather, Beechpelt and Branchkit."

"And for StoneClan, Lilystep, Thorntail and Tinydove." Icepaw glanced around and nodded. "That's everyone done. We'll sort camps in the morning, but for now, get to know each other and maybe do some training." She turned to Wispyheart "Just lie down Wispyheart, you don't need to get up." the light grey she-cat nodded gratefully. Ashenwhisker padded up to her.

"Hi. So...should I call you Icestar?" he mewed uncertainly. She purred.

"No, i'm still Icepaw. Who's Wispyheart's mate?" she asked.

"I am." Ashenwhisker answered proudly. His expression turned grim, and he leaned in close. "But, she could have our kits at any moment, and I don't know if they'll survive the LeafBare." he sudden'y looked so tired, and scared, and Brightfang came up to him, and put her tail around his shoulders. Icepaw smiled at him, and rubbed her shoulder against his. "She'll be fine. She has long, thick fur, and where we're going, that's exactly what she needs." he looked up in alarm. "Where are we going?"

"The mountains." He looked anxious. "Will there be lots of snow?" he asked.

"Yes, but she'll be fine, and looking at her now, I think she'll be kitting this evening." Ashenwhisker looked up sharply. "Will the kits be able to make it? How do you know?"

"My mother was a medicine cat. The kits will be fine. It's a short trip, and we'll huddle around them, ok? In fact, I think I'll ask to stay down here where it's warmer for a while, unti-" Icepaw was cut off by a wail from Wispyheart.

Ashenwhisker whipped around to lie down next to Wispyheart.

"Is she ok? What's happening?" he cried. Icepaw moved into action.

"It's fine. She's kitting. You," she looked to the dark grey tom. "get her into that cave and stay with her. And Brightfang, can you get her a good thick branch, or a stick?" The tortoiseshell nodded and raced off into the woods. She turned to the crowd of cats still milling around. "Can I get a medicine cat over here?" Lilystep came to her aid.

"What's the problem?" she frowned, and spotted Wispyheart and Ashenwhisker. She nodded to Icepaw. "I'll do everything I can." she turned towards the couple's direction, but whisked back to her. "But, can you ask Moorfeather for some poppy seeds?" she asked.

"Sure." she nodded. "How many?"

"Five will do the trick." Icepaw nodded and ran over to the BreezeClan tortoiseshell.

"Wispyheart is kitting, and Lilystep wants five poppy seeds." she mewed in a rush. Moorfeather seemed to understand the urge of the request, and turned to a leaf of dried herbs, and grabbed five little black seeds with her teeth. Icepaw held out her paw, and she spat them onto her hard black pads. She sucked them up, and raced back to Lilystep and the others. She spat them onto the ground next to Wispyheart, who licked them up gratefully. Brightfang came back with the stick, and put it where the poppy seeds were. The soon-to-be mother was panting hard now, and Lilystep glanced up at Icepaw.

"Did you tell her to get the stick?" The pure white she-cat nodded. "Good call." she smiled, and turned back to Wispyheart.

"Deep breathes, bite on the stick when it hurts ok? Just keep pushing, deep breaths." Lilystep mewed gently. Wispyheart cried out in pain, and Ashenwhisker started to wash her pelt, licking her gently between the ears, and murmuring words of comfort to his mate.

"Here we go..." Lilypelt whispered.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Kits

"Should we leave?" Icepaw mewed hastily.

"Brightfang, could you leave please, but Icepaw I need a helping hand, and these are the first born of your Clan, so I'd like you to stay if you don't have plans." Brightfang padded out, and Icepaw moved over to where Lilypelt was sitting. "Icepaw, gently press on her stomach and feel around ok? Tell me how many kits there are." Icepaw nodded, and pressed gently on Wispyhearts swollen belly. She felt one moving body...down towards the end of her body, and another just a little way away. "Two," she replied.

"Here comes the first..." Wispyheart growled, and she cried out again, just before a tiny silver body slipped out, covered in a little see-through sac.

"Nip off the sac, quickly." Lilystep told her, and Icepaw carefully bit through the clear sac, to hear a tiny little gasp, and a scramble of paws. She smiled, and nudged the kit towards it's mothers belly, where it started to suckle immediately.

"It's a she-cat." Icepaw announced, and she heard Ashenwhisker sigh in relief as Wispyheart watched her daughter for a brief moment, before she started panting again. Lilystep was pushing gently on the light grey mothers belly, to help the kit come out, and a A couple of heartbeats later, a tom came sliding out, and Wispyheart cried in relief.

"It's ok. You've done it. You're a mother. Now why don't I leave you two in privacy? Maybe think about names, and get some rest. Don't keep her up too long." She told Ashenwhisker, who was currently beaming with joy and pride. Once they were out of the cave, Lilystep turned to her.

"You were great in there." she beamed.

"So were you." Icepaw replied. The young medicine cat smiled her thanks. "I have to go, but I think you should go in there and congratulate them." Lilystep mewed, bounding off towards Stonepaw. The young she-cat padded towards the cave, and went inside to a beautiful scene before her. There was the silver tabby she-cat that she had helped, and a light grey and white patched tom suckling on their mothers milk, Ashenwhisker watching, looking as if he could burst with joy. Wispyheart looked up.

"Oh hey Icepaw. Aren't they beautiful?" she sighed. Icepaw came closer.

"They look so healthy, and strong. Long thick fur." she noticed.

"I'm so proud that they'll be in a real Clan. And, the best one of all of them." she looked up, her huge yellow eyes boring into Icepaw's. "Icepaw, I barely know you, but from what I've seen so far, you're strong, and brave and wise, and, well, me and Ashenwhisker decided that you should name the first born." Icepaw's jaw dropped open, as Wispyheart licked the silver she-cat.

"O-ok. Well." she looked long and hard at the beautiful tabby, and a perfect name sprung to mind. Icepaw thought hard. She didn't want to give the kit a bad name, but "What about, Birdkit?" she suggested, and Ashenwhisker purred.

"It's perfect." he replied, still looking down lovingly at his kits.

"And the tom should be Greykit." he mewed, receiving a nod from Wispyheart. "Birdkit and Greykit. The first born of IceClan." Wispyheart practically squealed with excitement.

"I'll let you recover. We have a big day tomorrow!" Icepaw purred.

As she left the den, she noticed Brightfang shifting uneasily outside.

"You can go in if you want. I'm sure they won't mind." her leader told her. The tortoiseshell she-cat nodded, and padded inside. Icepaw heard her gasp and squeal, purrs from the parents to go with Brightfang's uncontainable excitement.

Icepaws muscles started to sag, and she realised just how tired she was. A tabby pelt came up to her, and at first she was confused, until she saw the strangely long tail.

"Hey." Treepaw mewed.

"Hi."

"How're your Clanmates? I heard Wispyheart gave birth."

Icepaw purred. "Yeah. They let me name the first born, and I called her Birdkit. I barely know them but...I don't know...I feel so proud of them already. Like, when they were first picked, it felt like we were a random bunch of cats just thrown together, but now...it's like I've known them forever." She mewed incredulously. Treepaw nodded and purred too.

"I know. All of my new Clanmates are she-cats, and they're so enthusiastic. I taught two of them how to climb already! The medicine cats from HopeClan were really clever." Icepaw cocked her head to the side and frowned. "How so?" she asked.

"Well, if you look at Stonepaw's lot, most of them have strong hind legs, like him. I've noticed that Wispyheart and Brightfang both have long, thick fur, like you. And Elderflower and Cloverbelly, from my Clan, have long tails like me. Good for climbing. They've chosen cats with skills that build the basis of our Clans." Icepaw nodded. "I get it. We should do the same when we ask others to join our Clans." she mewed thoughtfully. The tired white cat yawned. "Well, i'm gonna get some sleep. I'll see you at dawn ok?" she mewed, and he nodded and purred, rubbing shoulders with her. She headed back to the cave, and saw Brightfang, Lilystep, Ashenwhisker, Wispyheart and the kits all huddling together.

"Now chew this. It'll give you lots of milk for Birdkit and Greykit." she mewed, giving some borage to the new mother. She turned to leave, and waved her tail at Icepaw as she left.

"Hey everyone. Well, this has been a historic day for IceClan, and I am so proud of you all for bonding with me, and trusting me so quickly. For now, we'll all have to sleep in this cave, so Wispyheart, I suggest you face the back with the kits at your belly, Ashenwhisker in front of her, and me and Brightfang huddling around the kits to keep everyone warm. This is how it'll work in IceClan as well ok?" Everyone nodded and got into formation.

_What a day. Tomorrow will be even better, I know it._

_Thank you StarClan. For choosing me, and for the beautiful kits that have been born in IceClan today. _


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Some getting used to

Icepaw awoke to something tiny scrambling around on her belly. _How did a vole get into the cave? _She blinked open her eyes, which were still glued with sleep, and she saw what was too small to be a vole. It had silver tabby fur..._Birdkit! _The IceClan leader purred. Birdkit had wandered away from her mother Wispyhearts belly. It was good to see her starting to use her paws, but Icepaw wasn't sure it was safe, considering that the silver tabby hadn't opened her eyes yet. the tiny kit was growing long and thick fur already, and Icepaw knew it was only a matter of time before she started to talk, then to see, and then, long after that, to become an apprentice. Just thinking about such things sent shivers down the leaders spine.

She gently nudged Birdkit back towards her mothers warmth, stretching carefully to avoid hitting any of the other members of IceClan. _Members of IceClan...We've come so far! _From just Icepaw on a seemingly impossible struggle, she now had five other members, Ashenwhisker and Wispyheart, with their kits, Greykit and Birdkit, and Brightfang.

"And it'll only get bigger." she purred quietly to herself. Getting to her paws with a smile on her face, she gently nudged Brightfang, who stirred grumpily, and frowned as she blinked in the morning light.

"Oh! Icepaw, I'm sorry. I haven't had a good nights sleep in aaaages." she apologised.

"That's fine. I was just wondering if you wanted to come on a patrol with me. You know, to hunt?" she asked the tortoiseshell warrior, who nodded eagerly in return.

"Ooooh, will you show me how you hunt?" she practically bounced off the walls of the cave with excitement, and Icepaw barely stifled a _mrrow_ of laughter.She flicked her tail for Brightfang to follow her out of the camp. Just before she turned to leave, she noticed Treepaw sitting at the base of the willow tree, keeping guard.

"Hey," she padded over to him. The tabby tom opened his mouth to speak, but she continued. "Listen, I would ask how you slept, but I'm in a hurry, so could you just watch the cave incase either of the kits comes out?" she begged. "Pleeease?" she purred like a kit, and Treepaw purred back. She rubbed noses with him and padded back.

"Happy hunting!" he called after them. She returned to a concerned, frowning Brightfang.

"You're not getting too close to him, are you?" she asked. Icepaw looked shocked.

"No, of course not." she mewed back steadily, holding the warriors deep blue gaze. She nodded. "Good," she sighed and relaxed her muscles.

After a quick hunt, the pair had discovered that their hunting techniques were almost exactly alike, and that with only a short amount of time to practice, Brightfang had got the hang of it. Brightfang caught a fish, with a little help from Icepaw, and tried to swim a little.

"Ha! It's cold...but it's not actually that bad!" she squealed after having jumped into the river with much enthusiasm, to her leaders surprise. She managed to swim to the end of the wide section and back, but she was still too tense.

"Relax, and swim with only your nose and eyes above the water." she instructed her. But Brightfang just kept dipping her nose in, and snorting water out when it got up her nostrils. In the end, they had caught three birds, and three fish.

"That's enough for all of us, with some for tonight." she mewed happily.

"Mmmm. Good hunting for LeafBare. I'm quite surprised the rivers haven't frozen." Brightfang commented. They returned to the camp to find everyone in IceClan awake, and the kits taking their first pawsteps inside the cave. They made a makeshift food pile just outside the cave, and everyone had their fair share of fresh kill, with the exception of Wispyheart, who had two fish for understandable reasons. They left one of the birds on the pile outside, in case they weren't so lucky with prey that evening.

Once they had all finished their prey, Icepaw left the new mother to her kits, and beckoned for Ashenwhisker and Brightfang to follow her out of the camp.

"Where are we going?" Brightfand cocked her head to the side as she queried to her leader. "Will we be long?" Ashenwhisker mewed, watching the camp as it grew smaller and small the further up the mountain they started going. Icepaw purred.

"We're just going to see our future camp." They both subtly quickened the pace after that.

After a shorter time than Icepaw had expected, they reached her camp.

"It's great!" Ashenwhisker mewed. Brightfang nodded and purred.

"It's not as far away as I thought, and the caves look huge..." she gasped, her mouth hanging open as she popped her head around Icepaw's old den. She nodded.

"So, do you guys think this is a good camp?" she asked hopefully. Ashenwhisker purred in satisfaction and mewed, "Of course," and brushed shoulders with his future leader. Icepaw returned his purr, and headed towards her den. After all the worry and doubt that had started to form in her mind when she first stepped into that clearing, that had all vanished now. And look how far they'd all come! Flamepaw, Breezepaw and Stonepaw could now be trained by the warriors in their Clans, and Icepaw had new kits in her Clan already. She sighed happily, and turned to her two new warriors. "So, this could be the warriors den, because it's really big." she suggested. "I agree. We should keep the eldest warriors on the outside, so that if an attack comes, they will be the most experienced, and can fight them off." Ashenwhisker mewed thoughtfully. "But, what if they're too old or tired to fight?" Brightfang asked.

"Then they should be in the elders den," he sniffed, and continued. "which, by the way, I think should be this cave here. It's sheltered from the wind by those trees." he padded over to a smaller cave, large enough to fit seven or so cats, which was separated from the warriors den by a huge group of pine trees. Icepaw hmmmed a little in agreement, and looked to the tortoiseshell warrior, who nodded. "Yes, and then will be the second escape I think." she mewed, flicking her tail towards the pine trees that she knew from experience, led out into the forest beyond. "What about the nursery?" Brightfang jumped up.

"Oh, oh, I think it should be this one, because it's also sheltered by the wind, and you can hardly see it!" she mewed. She flicked her tail for the other IceClan members to follow into a little hole facing the other way to the rest of the den's entrances, underneath a pile of rocks. When Icepaw stepped inside, she was amazed at how big it was, for she had never noticed this part of the camp before. It was a big cave, with thick walls and a comforting feel, and room enough for ten cats at least. Icepaw and Ashenwhisker nodded simultaneously, and then chose the apprentices den, (a big group of rocks with a thick warm inside) the leaders den, (a small but warm cave with an entrance that was out of the winds path) and the medicine cat's den. (a big cave with little shelves perfect for placing herbs, including a group of boulders which acted as a smaller cave inside the den)

So they headed back to the camp, with full hearts, to find Birdkit and Greykit crawling outside their den, much to Ashenwhisker's delight.

_What a great day!_


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Recruiting

"Icepaw." _Mmm..._ Icepaw rolled onto her side, enjoying the warmth of her new Clanmates as she purred and tried to convince herself that she was still asleep. "Icepaw..."

"Mmmm!" she frowned. The white furred she-cat knew that she should get up, but today, she just couldn't.

"Icepaw!" she got to her paws and blinked through narrow eyes. It was Pantherclaw, the expecting TreeClan queen, Elderflower's mate. He looked apologetic.

"Sorry to wake you up so early. Treepaw and the others have called a meeting." he padded away into the early dawn light. _Back into his nest..._ she thought grumpily, and shook her fur. She would be a Clan leader soon, and refusal to get up in the morning would be poor leadership. It had been several dawns since she had taken her cats up to see the IceClan camp, and those dawns had been filled with quiet training and exploring.

She washed her ruffled fur and checked on the other cats sharing her den. Wispyheart was sleeping peacefully, with Birdkit and Greykit snuggled up by her belly, Ashenwhisker forming a circle around his mate and kits, with Brightfang behind Wispyheart, and a flattened mix of feathers and moss behind Ashenwisker where Icepaw had previously lain. With a sigh of pleasure, she padded out of the den and into the large temporary camp for all of the Clans that were under construction.

She headed towards the trunk of the huge willow tree that covered all of the camp, where the other leaders, Treepaw, Breezepaw, Flamepaw and Stonepaw were waiting.

"C'mon Icepaw!" Stonepaw growled impatiently. She picked up the pace and raced over to the group. Treepaw nodded, and started to speak.

"Ok, so I think it's time we started rounding up more cats, like kittypets and rogues." he mewed.

"Like, we just go up to their Twoleg nests, and say, 'Oh, sorry to bother you, would you like to join a Clan?' They'd never agree!" Stonepaw snorted. The tabby tom sighed sighed.

"No. I think we should all get them in one place, send cats out to find cats, and then we'd get them in one place, and tell them the story of the Clans."

"I think that might work." Icepaw mewed thoughtfully.

"But we might get lost." Flamepaw pointed out. Treepaw nodded. "I know, but I think the only thing we can do about that is not go too far, and be careful." he mewed. "We send out the parties today, and ask them to come tonight." After a few complaints and queries, they decided it would be done. They each headed off to their separate dens, and gathered their warriors. They left Peachfur of FireClan and Beechpelt of BreezeClan on guard, and set off in individual groups.

"Right, so the idea is to go around our territories, to try and find loners, and persuade them to come to a little gathering tonight, where we show them what being in a Clan is about. The others will do the same thing in Twolegplace, on the outskirts of the forest, but with kittypets. Got it?" she explained to Brightfang and Ashenwhisker. Wispyheart had stayed at camp to look after her kits. Brightfang cocked her head to the side.

"Would kittypets want to come? They're all the same, all they care about is food and a nest. There's no spark to them." she sniffed. Icepaw shook her head.

"Well what about Flamepaw and Breezepaw? They were kittypets."

By now, it was common knowledge that two of the destined leaders had previously liived with Twolegs, although it did ruffle some pelts at first. Brightfang nodded, unconvinced, but stayed silent as they trekked across the moor. "Aren't there any cats up in the mountains?" Ashenwhisker asked. Icepaw shook her head.

"I would know." was all she said, with a hint of sadness behind her tone. Neither of her warriors seemed to notice though, and she shook her head and padded on.

After a short while, Icepaw hissed and lay flat on the ground, and the cats behind her followed her example. Four cats came bounding over the moor towards them, chatting away as if nothing was strange at all. One of them, a black and brown cat, was holding a rabbit triumphantly in her jaws. Icepaw got to her paws, signaling to the others to follow her, and approached the foursome.

"Hey! What're you doing here?" a white she-cat with grey flecks confronted Icepaw.

"We don't mean to intrude. We just want to talk." she reasoned, and sat, beckoning that they did the same. They sat, although hesitantly, and with a few hastened snarls.

"A long time ago, there were five groups of cats who lived together, but in separate Clans," the tabby tom frowned in confusion, but Icepaw carried on. "They all obeyed a certain code, which they hunted by, fought by and lived by, and it kept them together. They have long since disbanded, but we have been chosen by our warrior ancestors, to revive these Clans, and we are holding a meeting tonight at the big willow tree, to talk more about these cats, and to try and recruit new members for the new Clans. That's why me and my friends are here today." She finished. The light brown tabby stepped forward.

"Is that true?"

"Of course."

"Well...I'm Olly, this is Mia," he gestured to a light brown she-cat, "Chestnut," a black and brown she-cat with small green eyes, "and Sugar." he finished, and the white and grey she-cat who had confronted them dipped her head. He turned back to Icepaw, a look of concern on his face. "None of us know how to hunt, but sometimes we get lucky." Icepaw glanced at Chestnut's kill. "We need somewhere to live, and to settle down, and no disrespect, but are your Clans really the right place for us?" he shook his head, and the brown she-cat, Mia, came forward to rub her flank with his, as she murmured comforting words under her breath. Icepaw stepped closer. "Come to the willow tree tonight. You'll see whether it's...the right choice for you." she mewed gently, and _mrrow_ed her goodbye.

As the group walked away, Icepaw exhaled heavily.

"That was a lot more emotional than I thought." she mewed. The next cats they met were a couple, and seemed a lot more enthusiastic to join.

"This is great!" The golden tom mewed, who seemed to have strong back legs, like his mate, who was a heavily pregnant fluffy grey she-cat. "Me and Tash are looking for a new home. I'm Tommy, we'll be there!" he purred. They met a few other cats, although mostly in the forest, near the river. One couple had a newborn litter of three, and could obviously see the cons of joining the Clans.

"We haven't named them, but would their names have had to change if we had?" Bella, the mother, asked.

"Yes, but you get to choose their name."

"Oh good. Well, I think we'll see you this Moonhigh then!" she purred, and they bounced back into the bushes. They returned to the willow tree with Treepaw's group; Pantherclaw and Cloverbelly, and when they broke through the branches they were astonished to see three tiny kits drinking from Elderflower's milk. Pantherclaw let out a little cry of joy, and Treepaw and Cloverbelly rushed over.

"I just had them. Help me name them, and then I have to go to sleep." Elderflower panted. Pantherclaw helped Moorfeather pick up the kits and move the family over towards the base of the tree. Icepaw smiled, and Brightfang purred.

"Come on. I think we should clear some space to get ready for Moonhigh." the white she-cat suggested. "Ugh, and then I am going to sleep!" Brightfang groaned. Icepaw, Stonepaw, Brightfang, Thorntail and Tinydove cleared some leaves away, before they went to sleep, asking various cats to wake them all up at Moonhigh.

Icepaw awoke to the sound of cats crashing through the long branches of the willow.

"Are you sure this is the place?" a familiar voice mewed anxiously. Icepaw got up and headed out of the cave. Some of the other cats had started to come out of their dens and see what was going on. She padded up to the group of four cats who were staring uncomfortably at the others emerging from their dens.

"Olly, Mia, Chestnut, Sugar!" Icepaw purred warmly. "I'm so glad you could come. Sit down, you're the first to arrive, but I'm sure they'll be more soon." They seemed to relax as Icepaw greeted them, and they sat down a couple of tail-lengths away from the trunk of the willow.

"Hi, um, wow..." A dark tabby tom with a white belly and chest approached her, and stopped mid-sentence, staring at the Clan cats who had now come out of their dens. She smiled to him, and his amber eyes stopped floating around the camp, and snapped back to her. "Hi. You're welcome to sit down, not everyone is here yet. I'm Icepaw, future leader of IceClan, by the way." he frowned in confusion, and Icepaw remembered that he didn't really know about the Clans yet.

"Thanks, er, I'm Sixer. Do you know where Stonepaw is?" he asked, and Icepaw flicked her tail towards where the grey and white tom was sitting and discussing what looked like battle techniques with Thorntail. "Over there." he nodded his thanks, and hurried off to greet the toms. Many more cats arrived, including the eager mates, Tash and Tommy, and Bella and Alex, who had brought their kits, much to the surprise to the other cats.

"We couldn't leave them by themselves, and we both need to hear this." Bella explained hurriedly.

Once the camp seemed to be full, Icepaw, Breezepaw, Flamepaw, Stonepaw and Treepaw each gathered on one of the low branches of the willow tree, Treepaw obviously being on the highest. Stonepaw yowled a summons.

"Let all cats gather here today, loner, kittypet or Clan cat, to encourage the future of the Clans."


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The Meeting

Stonepaw sat back on the branch, looking quite obviously uncomfortable at being up on the tree. Icepaw had been thinking of what to say as soon as she got back to the camp, when she found out that she would be speaking third. She glanced at the others, and nodded at Flamepaw, who spoke.

"From the beginning of time, cats have lived in different ways. Some cats, like kittypets, developed a close bound with Twolegs, and would live with them as friends and companions," she heard Stonepaw snort quietly. "Others would live alone, or in small groups. But then, there were the Clan cats.

"Originally, there were five Clans; ShadowClan, RiverClan, ThunderClan, WindClan and SkyClan. They each contained a large group of cats, and each Clan would have a different skill. For example, RiverClan cats could swim and fish, WindClan cats were faster than any other, and SkyClan cats could jump higher than any other. They each had a large territory for themselves, which no other Clan was allowed on. Sometimes the Clans would fight, and other times they would live in harmony, catching prey, and growing." he let out a sigh of relief, and Breezepaw rubbed shoulders with the small red warrior as he sat down. "You were great." she whispered, before Treepaw got to his paws to speak. "These cats believed that when a cat died, they would go to the sixth Clan in the sky, StarClan, where all the Clans were united, and lived in peace forever. The Clans have long since disbanded, but our warrior ancestors in StarClan have called upon me, Icepaw, Breezepaw, Flamepaw and Stonepaw, to recreate the Clans. We have found, or rather, they found us," he chuckled, and Icepaw heard a few amused purrs coming from the Clan cats. "the last of the Clan born cats, and have divided them equally into different Clans. But you can't make a Clan out of four cats, so we have asked you," he lifted his paw to the audience, "to join us." he sat back down and Icepaw touched noses with him.

"We all understand, that it's a big thing to ask of a cat who has never even heard of the Clans. In fact, it's a huge thing to ask of any cat." Icepaw started. "And so today, we scouted around for you, and asked you to come here tonight to convince you that you should join the new Clans.

"It is possible, that even though we are so far from the old Clan territories, there is a slither of Clan blood in every one of you here tonight, just as there is lots in me, or Treepaw. Even if you have none, StarClan are looking down on you. They are watching your every move, protecting you, guiding you without you even knowing that they're there. They would want you to join, and be a part of this wonderful culture, that we are rebuilding. And the fact is, we need you. We need your skills. We need your loyalty. We need, _you_. Clan cats work together, and obey the warrior code, a code of honour and justice that shows every cat the right path to follow in their life.

"Clan life can be hard. Sometimes, great wars can come upon the Clans, or prey can become hard to find in cold and harsh LeafBares. Sometimes, diseases or fires, storms and even dark prophecies can befall us. And we aren't going to sugar coat it. It's tough. But being a Clan cat, is all about being loyal, and fighting, hunting and living alongside cats in your Clan. It gives off a feeling, of infinite happiness, and a sense of belonging, and it's worth it." she finished, feeling that maybe her turn was a little too long. Treepaw rubbed her back, and Icepaw felt a little spark, like a tiny bolt of lightning between the two cats, and she and Treepaw drew away from each other instantly. Breezepaw got to her paws to finish off the speech, as Stonepaw had decided not to speak, for fear that he would, 'not convince the outsiders as well as you guys' he had said earlier that day.

"We would like to invite you to a day in the Clans, to try it out, and you can stay if you want to, or leave if it's...not your thing," Breezepaw shivered as if she couldn't imagine such a thing. Icepaw realised how far the tall black and brown she-cat had come, from a kittypet to a true Clan leader, and she was proud to have been her mentor, even if it had only been for a day or two. "So come down to the willow trunk, and we will sort you into Clans, _temporarily._" She leapt down from her branch and sat by the trunk of the tree, the other leaders copying her.

The cats who had been listening glanced at one another, and slowly, one by one they came, trickling in like a comb of honey that just won't drop onto your tongue.

Lilystep and Moorfeather nodded to the leaders.

"You've seen us do it, now it's your turn." Moorfeather mewed.

"Spread out in a line." Stonepaw called. Icepaw looked up and down the line, looking for cats with long, sleek fur like hers. She picked cats out as she went along.

She stopped at Sixer, who was at the very start of the line. His dark tabby fur was long, and she had gotten on with him well when they first met.

"Sixer, you're with me. Go over to the cave." She purred, and saw Sixer break into a smile and return her purr. Although there was still a huge number of cats, Icepaw had noticed that one or two pelts were missing from the giant crowd. _Looks like _some cats _didn't enjoy the speech._ she thought angrily. She stopped again, in front of Sugar, and flicked her tail.

"C'mon, I think you'd make a good IceClan cat." she mewed warmly, as Sugar trekked over towards the cave. She beckoned another tabby, with long gold/brownish fur towards the cave, and he flexed his claws eagerly and smiled. She then saw a brown and white patched tom with warm amber eyes and thick fur a little way ahead of her. He looked over to her, and smiled, coming out of the line towards her.

"I'm Max. You wanted me, am I right?" he purred. She nodded, and he went to join the others. There was something about this cat, something that made him seem so much more intelligent than any other cat she'd ever met. _Apart from Treepaw_, she thought.

Up along the line she also chose a young cream furred she-cat with blue eyes, a ginger tom with a white chest and paws and a distinctly bushy tail, an old silver tabby tom with a twisted forepaw and a heavily expecting white she-cat and her mate, a brown tabby tom with long fur and distinct brown eyes.

"So, I think we should go round with names." Icepaw suggested, once they were all back at the cave. "Ok, well I'm Sixer."

"Sugar."

The golden brown tabby shifted his paws and spoke. "I'm Slide."

"My name is currently Max."

Then the creamy she-cat was called Ella, the ginger tom, "Roddie's my name."

The old silver tabby, "Twist." he rasped.

"I'm Sage, and this is my mate Justin." the white she-cat whispered, flicking her tail towards the tabby tom.

"And I'm Ashenwhisker, this is my mate Wispyheart, our kits; Birdkit and Greykit and over there is Brightfang." Ashenwhisker mewed eagerly, introducing the Clan cats.

"So, are you going to give us warrior names?" Max asked.

"Er...no. Not unless you decide to stay permanently. Welcome to IceClan!" Icepaw purred, and there was some hesitant shoulder rubbing and tail flicking. _What a great team to work with._ She decided that in the morning she would take out a patrol of five cats, with only one of them a Clan cat, and three watching and possibly learning a little of how IceClan cats hunt. She left the cats to their chatting, and went out into the almost empty willow tree. Only Treepaw, as usual was sitting a down by the trunk, the rest of his Clan atop in the trees. He padded over to join her.

"I've chosen good cats, I'm happy." he seemed to be bubbling with an excitement he couldn't contain. Icepaw purred and rubbed flanks with him, forgetting the incident earlier that evening. "Me too. How're Elderflower's kits?" she mewed, remembering the she-cat who had kitted without a medicine cat.

"Oh they're good." he purred. "They're beautiful kits, and they let me name one, like Wispyhearts. They're called Vinekit, Goldkit, and the one I chose, Orangekit." he mewed happily. "Oh Icepaw, sometimes I wish it was just you and me." he leaned in to smother his face in her fur, and she purred in understanding. He was so gentle and kind. She almost wished that she was in his Clan...she lay down next to the tabby leader, and started sharing tongues with him under the moon. _This, right now...this is perfect. _

Icepaw woke up in Treepaw's warm fur, and a little shock rippled through her. Treepaw raised his head groggily. "Mmmm?" he groaned.

"Sh, shssssshhh." she purred, and touched noses with him. "Wake up sleepy head. It's temporary Clan day." she mewed, and Icepaw heard him snort as she raced back to the cave.


	12. Chapter 10

**Ok, I'm just gonna pretend not to notice that I haven't uploaded in like…two months XD ENJOY XXX**

Chapter Eleven

Temporary Clan Day

Ashenwhisker, Brightfang, Wispyheart and the kits, and Slide were already awake. Slide was marveling at the kits when she came in. "Aren't they adorable?" he mewed to Wispyheart, who purred. Icepaw couldn't help purring a little at Ashenwhisker's sour expression towards the temporary Clan cat. Ashenwhisker looked up.

"Where did you spend the night?" he mewed curiously. Icepaw felt her fur heat up, and she tried to mew calmly, "I went out hunting and I just fell asleep outside.

"Okay Ashenwhisker, can you help me on a patrol? We'll take Max, Ella and Sixer. Brightfang, you can lead another one wiiiiiiith...Justin, Roddie and Slide. Got it? Wispyheart, stay here and try and teach these cats about Clan ranks, and borders and life as a Clan cat. Can you do that for me?" They all nodded. Icepaw prodded Max and Sixer gently in their bellies, while the grey warrior helped Ella to her paws. She sat everyone who was patrolling down outside the cave.

"This dawn, we're going to go on separate hunting patrols. That's where we hunt for the rest of the Clan. Usually you would only have one at a time, but we can't do a border patrol, because we don't have borders. You must listen to the Clan cats in your patrol, they will be your leaders. Do what they say, and don't be shy." she finished, and gathered her patrol. "Follow me and Ashenwhisker. Let's go to the stream, see if we can get these kittypets wet." she purred, and Ashenwhisker chuckled. With a lot of chattering, they roamed through the forest. Ella and Max were kittypets, and would let out collective gasps every time a bird fluttered into their field of vision, or a vole ran across their path. They came to the stream in the middle of the waking forest, and Sixer stopped in surprise.

"Why are we waiting here?" he mewed. "Because IceClan cats protect from the cold, but they also swim." Ella squealed, "In there? It must be freezing." she sniffed in disgust.

"You have the right fur for it, long but sleek, you'll be fine. And it's fun, you should try it!" Icepaw purred, and she jumped into the shallow river, giving some of the cats a little splash. Ashenwhisker followed her in, a little more quietly, just slowly padding in, and floating, relaxing in the cool water.

"It's a vital part of being an IceClan cat. The rivers are not only a source of fun, and a stress reliever, they're also a source of food." Ashenwhisker mewed, and Icepaw swam behind him. He ducked down low into the river, and lay still. Suddenly ,he jumped out of the water with a big carp in his jaws. Max gasped in awe. Sixer shook his head in disbelief, and to her surprise, he jumped in! His head ducked under the surface for a bit, but then he came up, gasping for air, and Icepaw swam over to him.

"Churn your paws slowly, like this." she mewed, and after a little bit of hasty struggling, he was swimming in the river. "C'mon guys, this is really cool!" he purred, and Ella and Max jumped in too. A little while later, they were all swimming confidently, and Icepaw and Ashenwhisker had caught another fish each.

"Okay, now everyone get out apart from me and Sixer." Sixer frowned in confusion, but everyone got out of the river. She turned to the tabby tom.

"I want you to go underwater, and lie at the bottom of the banks, or just practice having your head under water for a while. Then you can open your eyes, don't breath in, just lie still, and wait for a fish to come towards you. When it does, hook it in your paws as fast as you can, and spring out of the water, like Ashenwhisker did. I'll be behind you, so if you miss one, I'll get it." he looked uncertain, but lay underwater. He came back up immediately, gasping for air and spurting water from his nose. "It's ok, that's fine. Don't breath." she mewed gently, and he went under again. Icepaw followed him, her senses submerged and muffled, like putting a blindfold on her. She could see how it might make some cats scared, but for her, it was just like going to sleep, and being awake. The brown tabby figure ahead of her disappeared, and Icepaw stayed down, hooking a fish in her claws and spring up to see Sixer on the shore, soaking wet and smiling with a fish in his paws. He slammed his paw down on it's neck, and held it up for all to see.

They returned to camp with at least one fish for everyone, and Wispyheart came out into the camp with her kits trailing behind her. "Ashenwhisker, they've got teeth! Can they try some fish?" she was practically bouncing off the walls. Icepaw frowned.

"It's a bit early but, I suppose so." she mewed, and passed the kits a small fish to share. They eagerly tucked in, with some small 'Mmmmm's and Icepaw placed the prey on the pile outside the cave, and sat outside the cave to eat. Brightfang's patrol had already returned, with four birds, and a water vole. She grabbed her carp and had only just sat down when Max came over. "May I sit?" he mewed, indicating the empty space next to Icepaw. She nodded, and he began to talk.

"I've been thinking Icepaw. I know it's only been half the day but I definitely want to join IceClan." Icepaw frowned. "What about your Twolegs-"

"My Twolegs kicked me out." "Oh...I'm so sorry." "But my point is, I don't like fighting. I want to join, in fact I feel like I have to, but I don't like fighting. Is there any way I could join and not fight?" he mewed, his eyes brimming with sorrow. Icepaw sighed.

"Well...you could be medicine cat, but only certain cats are up to it. Can you heal? Do you know many herbs?" she mewed and saw his face light up.

"Of course! I know all the ones out here! I used to have a sickly brother, and I would experiment with different plants in the forest and in our garden. I kept him healthy, but then the Twolegs took him away. I didn't see him again." At the same time as feeling sorry for Max, she couldn't help feeling as if StarClan had brought him here. She purred and rubbed flanks with him.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but I think you are meant to be here. If you are sure you'd like to stay, welcome to IceClan!" she mewed happily, and she saw a smile spread across his face. "You'll have to prove it to me first, but when you do, I'll give you your medicine cat name immediately." she purred, and moved back towards directyl outside the cave, where most of the cats were huddling.

"Now I think we should all try some basic fighting moves. IceClan fighting moves." she mewed. "Slide, come up to the front." The golden brown tabby stepped towards Icepaw. "Try and swipe me." she mewed, tensing her muscles. Slide tried to land a blow on her shoulder, and she slid underneath him, battering his belly with her hind paws, claws sheathed and kicked him off of her. She got to her paws calmly, and licked her chest fur, while Slide lay on the ground opposite her, panting. All of the cats around her were staring at her with their mouthes wide open, but Max just smiled.

"Of course, I'm not going to teach you how to do THAT first. But, why don't we start, with trying to pin a cat down. It can help you in a lot of situations, whether you're a Clan cat or not." She beckoned Sugar with her tail, who came forward hesitantly. "Now jump onto my shoulders, and push me down. Then place your paws on mine, and don't let me get up." Sugar nodded, and she tensed her muscles, breathing in and out slowly. Suddenly, she was on top of Icepaw, paws on paws. Icepaw smiled. "Well done. You're really fast." Sugar purred. "Now watch. I can try wriggling out," she mewed, wriggling as much as she could, but the fast white and grey she-cat wouldn't budge. "or I could go limp." she stopped and sighed theatrically. Sugar relaxed, and in that moment, she kicked out with her hind paws and Sugar flew off of her. "And I can trick her." She mewed. "Now get in pairs and practice pinning and faking." she mewed.

That night, everyone was settled down to decide. Icepaw went around in a circle.

"Today has been really fun, and I hope you all managed to decide what you're going to do. Twist?" The old silver tabby smiled and looked at the ground. "I don't have anywhere else to go Icepaw. And what better way to spend the remainder of my days, than in a Clan?" he purred, and Icepaw smiled. She decided to do names in the morning, even thought most of them wouldn't receive them yet, because they hadn't really learned to fight and hunt. "Ella?"

"Definitely. I don't have any other family, and..." she sniffed. "I feel welcome here."

"Slide?"

"It's a Clan cat's life for me!" he yowled, and everyone laughed.

"Sixer, what about you?"

"I can't imagine my life if I weren't here. Yes." "Sugar?"

"Of course!" she purred, and Icepaw rubbed shoulders with her.

"Sage, Justin?" Sage sighed.

"I've been thinking about this all day. We would love our kits to grow in the traditions of IceClan, and we want, more like need to be part of it ourselves." She mewed, and Justin entwined his tail with his.

"Roddie?"

"Yes." the ginger tom purred.

"Max?"

"I think you know the answer." he smiled.

"Well that's all of us! Wow, well, WELCOME TO ICECLAN!" Icepaw purred.


	13. Chapter 11

**OMG I LUV THIS CHAPTER X**

**IT'S SO CHEEZY XD**

Chapter Twelve

Name and train

That night, Icepaw found herself in the same, beautiful, flawless forest as she had first found herself a couple of moons ago, when she was chosen to be leader of IceClan. The familiar golden pelt of Leopardstar arrived, her paws shimmering with stars, even her fur seemed to contain traces of the stars in Silverpelt. For a moment Icepaw wondered which star in the night sky that the previous RiverClan leader was, before she started to speak.

"Icepaw." Icepaw padded up to Leopardstar, and brushed muzzles with her.

"I have come to speak to you about two things, but first, about Max." she purred. "Max is a very special cat. He taught himself all of the herbs, and he has learned their names over time. We have already visited him, and he has a strong bond with StarClan. He is destined to be your medicine cat, and you may name him in the morning, along with the other IceClan cats." Icepaw nodded and smiled. She had suspected this much, but then Leopardstar's gaze hardened.

"But Icepaw beware. You are drawing too close to one of your fellow...comrades, and it is not the will of StarClan." She mewed, and with that, the forest and lush beauty of StarClan territory disappeared. "Wait, what do you mean?" she yowled desperately, but she heard no answer to her plea, and awoke to an anxious Max.

"Are you ok?" he mewed, and his brown and white pelt looked ruffled from sleep. "You were wriggling in your sleep."

"Oh I'm so sorry, did I wake you?" she mewed apologetically. He shook his head.

"No I woke up anyway, but I saw you writhing like a snake." he chuckled. Icepaw purred, and beckoned Max to the corner of the cave. Thankfully, no one was awake yet.

"Max, that dream I was having, I was visited by StarClan." his eyes grew wide and they sparked with excitement. "What did they say?" he mewed eagerly. She looked at him grimly, and mewed, "They said you were destined to be IceClan's medicine cat, and that I could name you this morning!" she purred. Max's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Are you sure?" he almost choked out the words. Icepaw purred in amusement, and she woke everyone up.

Icepaw stood on top of the cave, with IceClan below her, and a few members of FlameClan who were watching the ceremony.

"Cats of IceClan," she began.

"Last night, you decided to become Clan cats, and today, we will honour you with your warrior names. Everyone, come and stand here at the entrance to the cave." she leapt down to join the huddle of cats. Icepaw had heard the words in her head before, and inhaled deeply before speaking.

"I, Icepaw, leader of IceClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these cats. They have much to learn, but are eager to become true Clan cats, and vow today to protect and abide to the warrior code from here on, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Sixer, could you come here please?" The brown tabby looked startled, and a little scared, as Icepaw called him up to the top of the cave. She realised what a huge decision this was for him, and for all of her cats, and she hoped that none of them would back out when asked to swear on the oath.

"Sixer, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend IceClan, even at the cost of your life?" Sixer gulped, and he shook as he stood in front of Icepaw.

"Say 'I do.'" she whispered, and he visibly relaxed. "I do." he growled determinedly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sixer, from this moment, you will be known as Amberclaw. StarClan trusts that you will give all your courage and strength to the new IceClan." Amberclaw purred, and he dipped his head. She bent down to place her muzzle between the new warrior's ears. "Lick my shoulder." she whispered again, and Amberclaw did as he was told. They stepped back, and Ashenwhisker raised the call. "Amberclaw, Amberclaw, Amberclaw!" and the other cats started to copy him.

Icepaw named Sugar, Mistflower, and Slide became Eagleclaw, as he said without hesitation, "I do!" She came around to Max, who stepped up to greet her.

"Max," she purred. "do you promise to protect and to heal IceClan, and in times of need, be their link between StarClan, even at the cost of your life?" Max stared deep into her blue eyes, as if trying to show Icepaw that he wanted this, and that he did, even more than his words could get across. She knew then that he would be a great medicine cat, and that she trusted him. "I do." he mewed steadily, not breaking off from her gaze for a heartbeat.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your medicine cat name. Max, from this moment, you will be known as Everpine, and StarClan trusts that you will direct all of your wisdom and kindness towards IceClan." She rested her jaw on his head, and he licked her shoulder in turn, as the Clan chanted the new medicine cat's name. For some of the cats, this was a big surprise, but others had known that he would never fight. Before Icepaw moved on to Ella, Everpine stopped her, and mewed, "I do." again, with deeper meaning. Ella came up to the top of the cave, and she named her Lightpaw. Then, Icepaw beckoned Brightfang up to the cave. "Brightfang, you have trained hard, even if only for a short while, to become an IceClan cat, and you more than deserve your place in the Clan. I hope that you can pass on your patience and skill to Lightpaw, and train her to become a fine warrior. Icepaw purred at Brightfang's look of astonishment, and she wondered how quickly Lightpaw's training would go. She was almost at warrior age, and she knew much about hunting and fighting already, all that was needed was to adapt her skills to suit IceClan style, and teach her about Clan life. She guessed that would only take one or two moons, by which time, Birdkit and Greykit would be able to see, and maybe even talk.

As the morning went on, Twist became Twistedfate, Sage, Sagetail and Justin was named Rockfur. Finally, she ended with Roddie being renamed as,

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Roddie, from this moment on, you will be kno-" she was cut off by a piercing wail from Sagetail, who was instantly joined by Rockfur. Lilystep rushed over to help Everpine.

"Great StarClan what is it with this Clan and kits?" she half growled, half purred. They started to work together, telling Sagetail to breath deeply, and push. The rest of the Clan cleared out, and Icepaw started to give out orders.

"Rockfur, stay with your mate and get her a good thick twig. Brightfang, take Lightpaw up to the mountains for some hunting and show her the camp. Take Flickertail and Wispyheart with you, it'll be good to get her out and about and Mistflower can watch over her kits." she mewed. Brightfang cocked her head.

"Who's Flickertail?"

"Oh, sorry, I meant Roddie. Tell him I'll redo the ceremony tonight, but call him Flickertail for now." she mewed, and the tortoiseshell she-cat let out a little 'Ohhhhhh,' in sudden understanding. She let out a long sigh and went to visit Treepaw, who was sitting by the willow trunk, as per usual. He looked up at her tired face and drooping tail as she approached and smirked.

"Wow, your nursery is going to have to be prrrrreeeeeetty, biiiiiiiiiig!" he purred, and rubbed flanks with her. "Come on, I need to talk to you outside, in the forest." he mewed, a solemn glint in his eyes. Icepaw frowned. "Tell them you're going hunting alone." Her frown deepened. She padded up to Ashenwhisker. "Hey, can you take...Eagleclaw and Sixer out to hunt, I'm going to, er, hunt alone." she suddenly felt hot under her long fur, and she could almost imagine the grey warrior's eyes burning through her lies. However, he didn't bat an eye.

"Ok, when will you be back?" he mewed.

"Oh-oh pretty soon. I just need to, um, get out." she mewed hurriedly, and pranced off to join Treepaw outside the willow branches. She didn't like lying to her Clanmates, and she felt angry until she saw the tabby leader's face again, and all her feelings melted away instantly. She purred, and touched noses with him.

"Race you to the river!" she yowled playfully.

"Oh, you're on!" Treepaw growled with the same attitude. They raced through the trees, the cool grass soothing their paws as they ran to the slow-flowing river where Icepaw had gone with the other IceClan cats the previous day. They reached the banks of the river at the same time, and panted for a while, recovering their energy.

Treepaw sat down by the riverside, and Icepaw sat opposite, although her paws itched to jump into the water. The tabby tom sighed, and looked up at her with his big yellow eyes, his long tail flicking nervously.

"This might come as a shock, but...Icepaw I think I'm in love." he mewed uncertainly. For some reason, Icepaw flinched, like there was a thorn stuck in her heart, as if this news hurt her, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Oh that's great!" she purred with fake enthusiasm. "With who?"

Treepaw chuckled grimly.

"No Icepaw, don't you get it? I...I'm in love with you." the white warrior didn't quite hear this, as if it wasn't real, it was all some big joke, and she could go back to camp now. If she ran fast enough, she could probably join Ashenwhisker's patrol and go on hunting like she had never heard his last statement. When his words started to sink in, she felt a pang, a true longing for him, and she knew his feelings were returned. She barely managed to spit out the words.

"I think I am too Treepaw." she mewed, her eyes suddenly filling with sorrow. "But what does it mean?" she wailed.

"I don't know." "Maybe it's meant to be. Maybe, somehow, it's not breaking the warrior code because we're the chosen cats...right?" she mewed desperately. _You're drawing too close to one of your fellow...comrades, and it is not the will of StarClan._ Leopardstar's words echoed in her head. Treepaw shook his head.

"Maybe the warrior code is wrong. We are drawn to each other, and that's not our fault. Who are we to resist and refuse fate?" he smiled slyly, and Icepaw forgot the world around her for a few brief moments, and there was no stream, no forest, no destiny. Just her and this handsome tabby in front of her, and that was all that mattered.

_Great StarClan...I, I'm in love!_ she thought hopelessly. She and Treepaw shared tongues in a stunned and sad silence, under the disappearing sun, and then they slowly padded back to camp, each with a bird, in silence.


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter Thirteen 

At last

When Icepaw returned to camp, her spirit immediately lightened at the sight before her. There was more prey than they needed, which meant that the kits could have some more fresh kill, but there were also three beautiful kits waiting to greet her. Sagetail and Rockfur were beaming from ear to ear, and practically scrambling in front of one another to show her.

"This is Acornkit," Sagetail curled her tail around a brown tabby tom with long fur.

"He's Oatkit," she continued, brushing her muzzle against a long furred light brown tom with a white chest and paws.

"And the she-cat is called Plumkit." Rockfur finished for her, and indicated a white she-cat with brown flecks and long thick fur. These were definitely IceClan kits. She purred and rubbed flanks with the new parents.

"Congratulations!" she purred. "Has anyone else eaten yet?"

As the Clan sat down to eat, Icepaw grabbed a small bird, and brought it over to Birdkit and Greykit, who were now curiously sniffing around at all the new scents. She then grabbed a big carp for herself, and dug in.

That night, once everyone had eaten, and were all just lying down, she stood on the cave again, beckoning Roddie with her tail.

"Roddie, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect IceClan, even at the cost of your life?" Roddie nodded, and mewed steadily,

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Roddie from this moment forth, you will be known as Flickertail. StarClan trusts that you will give all your courage and loyalty to the new IceClan."

"Flickertail! Flickertail! Flickertail!" IceClan cheered. Icepaw purred, and placed her muzzle on his head, and he licked her shoulder in turn.

"Thank you Icepaw, I swear, I won't let you down." he purred, smiling and beaming like the happiest cat in the Clans. He bounced over to join Lightpaw, and Icepaw decided that she was too tired to go on. Heading into the back of the cave, she saw Treepaw smiling a sad smile at her, just before Twistedfate stepped in front of the mouth of the cave.

"Treepaw! Is this a dream?" she purred, rubbing her face in his fur, breathing in his scent, not even aware that she was back in StarClan's forest. She just managed to pull away, before Flamepaw appeared. He nodded his head.

"Oh I get it. This is a dream, you aren't really here." he mewed. Icepaw shook her head.

"No, I'm definitely here, I can feel this as if it were real." she mewed, just as Breezepaw raced in through the bushes with Stonepaw a little way behind.

"What's going on here?" he growled, but all of the apprentice's mumbles of shock and confusion were silenced when a mass of starry cats appeared, padding calmly towards them. Suddenly, Icepaw felt isolated. She could see the other leaders as if they were StarClan too, pale with a hint of their fur colour. She saw them talking to other cats, but couldn't hear them. She turned to Leopardstar, who's eyes were full of warning.

"Beware of him Icepaw. This against the warrior code." at that moment Leopardstar turned to look at a brown tabby standing in front of Treepaw, who returned her stare. Icepaw shot Treepaw a desperate glance, as if she couldn't bare to stand here and just watch him, neither of them saying anything. But she stood her ground, and turned back to Leopardstar, who's eyes were now cheery and proud, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Icepaw. You have been trained all your life to be a warrior, and have exceeded the usual standards, which is one of the reasons that we made you leader of IceClan. Today, we will give you your nine lives." Icepaw's jaw opened wide, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets in awe. She had never really imagined what it would be like, and she saw Stonepaw shuddering as if he were in immense pain.

"Does it hurt?" she mewed, trying to show a brave face. Leopardstar purred.

"Everyone receives different lives."

Icepaw frowned. Everyone received nine lives, how could they be different? But she didn't have time to speak before Leopardstar stepped forward, and Leopardstar placed her muzzle on Icepaw's head.

"With this life, I give you courage. Use it in times of doubt and trouble, to strengthen you r Clan, and to look after your loved ones." A fire seemed to burn through Icepaw tensing every muscle, and leaving her fur on end. She felt as if she had the power to lead a thousand Clans, and stand up to all the evil in the world, and confront it. She gasped. This wasn't painful, but it was...tiring. Icepaw understood now what Leopardstar had said about different lives. Leopardstar stepped back, and a white she-cat took her place...she had blue eyes, and a familiar pelt, but Icepaw couldn't quite place it, until she rubbed flanks with her.

"Icepaw, my darling daughter." she mewed.

"Snowtail-Mum!" she cried, and rubbed her face in her fur. Snowtail stepped back.

"With this life, I give you the knowledge to do what you know is right. Use it when your heart and your head wage war." Snowtail looked to Treepaw as she said this, and Icepaw noticed a beautiful dark tabby she-cat in front of Treepaw, staring at Icepaw. _Argh! What is it with Treepaw and StarClan? _she thought. Then, a blinding confusion swept her off her feet, and she felt as if she were spinning deeper and deeper into a black hole, and suddenly there was a bright light, and she felt understanding pick her back up, sweeping over her like a wave of calm. She found herself back in front of her mother, who was now padding away.

"Wait, Mum wait!" she cried desperately. Snowtail looked over her shoulder, her eyes brimming with sorrow.

"Use it well." was all she mewed, and she sat back into the growing line of StarClan warriors. A blue grey tom was next, with dark blue eyes. She knew who this was as soon as he started to speak. "Icepaw -"

"Dragonheart. I missed you!" she ran forward to bury her face in her father's fur, but he urged her back.

"With this life I give you freedom. Use it when you feel restrained, and remember that no Clan cat can ever truly be tamed or controlled." She felt suddenly as if she were a lion, roaring and struggling as she broke free from her bonds, and ran away from her anonymous captors, away into the forest, the forest of peace and calm. Although she was free, she felt a raging fire of anger, burning inside her and waiting to burst out at the right moment.

Dragonheart padded back to join the other two StarClan members, and yet another cat padded forward to greet her. It struck her that she still had to do this six more times, and she groaned in her head-_No! This is important, this is special! _she told herself, frowning. _This is something that will change everything in my life forever. I have to respect it. _she thought sternly. This next cat was a blue/grey she-cat,one that she had not seen before..

"Icepaw. With this life, I give you faith. Use it in times of trouble, when you doubt others, yourself, or even your warrior ancestors." she leaned in close to Icepaw, and whispered her last words in her ear. Suddenly, she was walking along a dark path in a forest, lost with no way to go. She didn't feel quite as desperate as when she was given her second life by Snowtail, but she felt...lonely. Then, an invisible pelt brushed hers, but when she looked beside her, there was no one there. There it was again, nudging her along the path, purring in her ear. She felt like a newborn kit, unable to see her, but knowing that it's mother was there the whole time. She closed her eyes and purred, but when she opened them again, her bright blue eyes sparkled in dismay. She was back in the real world, back where there was confusion and anger but beauty, if you looked hard enough.

She padded back to stand next to the other cats, but Icepaw ran ahead towards her.

"Wait, who are you?" she wailed desperately, scared that she would never know who had given Icepaw her fourth life. The StarClan cat turned back and smiled.

"I am Bluestar. I was once leader of ThunderClan, but I am here tonight but because you and I have something in common." she sat. "I was part of a prophecy, and so are you. Dragonheart is your father, but he is my great, great, great grandson." Icepaw's eyes grew wide in astonishment. Bluestar gave her little knowing smile, and sat back down. Icepaw forced her mouth shut, and sat back against the edge of the barrier.

"Icepaw, with this life I give you energy," she had barely seen the next cat, Crookedstar, the cat with a crooked jaw, who had once been leader of RiverClan. He had greeted her in her first dream, telling her of her prophecy. "Use it when you can run no more, fight no longer, and hold up others in your Clan." he touched his nose with hers, and she immediately slumped to the ground. She was faintly aware that this life was different, that she was still in StarClan territory, but it didn't seem to matter. Icepaw felt so tired, so defeated,


	15. Chapter 13

**SORRY PEOPLE. **

**THAT was Chapter Twelve, THIS is Chapter Thirteen. I skipped Chapter Nine for some reason and I didn't edit all of them. Also, sorry for the weird ending there...I don't think I actually finished it...**

**Ok, RESUME ;D**

Chapter Thirteen

At last II

As Crookedstar padded away from the slumped, panting Icepaw, she wanted to ask him questions, she wanted to ask them all questions, but she knew by now that none of them would answer her, and so she stayed silent. She took her eyes off of the ground and yelped as she looked up to find a slender, beautiful silver tabby cat in front of her. In the corner of her eye, she saw Snowtail and Dragonheart scrambling forward to leap on the she-cat, but she dodged out of their paw's reach.

"Icepaw, um...hi. Do you know who I am?" She pointed her tail towards her chest. Icepaw shook her head, and the StarClan member sighed, a little wave rippling through her long silver chest fur.

"Well..." Bluestar and Crookedstar had held her parents down, but Icepaw was intrigued by the tabby, and she did not move in to help them. "Don't blame your parents. I am...your sister."

**Ok pretend THAT was the end of Chapter Twelve, this is the start of Thirteen:**

**(Cos, you know that's such a great ending XD)**

If in some distorted version of reality, Icepaw's jaw could have literally dropped out of her mouth, it would have. Instead it just hung low in her mouth, her 'sister' staring concernedly at her. She didn't speak.

"Uh...Icepaw?" she brushed her around her younger sister's shoulders, and smiled uneasily. For Icepaw, it felt as if this was a stab in the back. Why hadn't she realised when this cat who called herself her sister sat in front of her? Her parents leaping over each other to stop the sibling's paths from intertwining, the way her silver pelt glistened like the perfect mixture of her mother and father's fur, and the way it was like glancing in a silver tinted, aged mirror. They looked exactly alike in their features.

"Ok, I know this is hard for you to understand, but _don't. Blame. Snowtail and Dragonheart._ They would have told you sooner if they could, but they died when you were still quite young, remember?"

In a heartbeat, Icepaw leaped high into the air and growled, heading towards her parents, everything going in slow motion.

_I have a SISTER? They never told me! I was old enough to handle it! Tell me NOW why don't you, at my leader's ceremony, spoil my day._

She felt a tug on her leg, and was pulled back down to the earth, landing hard on her chin and biting on her tongue. She hissed, and whipped around to face her sister, her fur bristling to make her look huge. But when she saw her sister, she backed out. It was like a fiercer, taller version of herself again, with a different pelt.

"Icepaw listen to me! I was alive when you were born, but at the time of your second dawn in the world, I was out catching fish and I slipped and knocked my head open on a rock in the stream," the pretty white she-cat cowered on the ground, staring up in horror at this nameless cat. "It was quick, I'm fine now, and I've been awarded my warrior name since. Let's start again."

She flattened her fur and purred, her eyes closing exactly like Icepaw did when _she _purred. The sight was strangely comforting.

"Hi Icepaw. I'm your sister, Streamsong,"

_Pretty._

"and I'm here to give you your seventh life."

"Your name...it's-"

"Ironic isn't it?" Streamsong smiled dryly. She put her head on top of her younger sister's, and began to speak the seventh life words.

"Icepaw, with this life I give you selflessness. Sacrifice your lives for the needs of you Clan, protecting apprentices, queens and their litters, elders and warriors alike."

Suddenly, she was transported to a battlefield, the grass around her covered in blood, unmoving cats bodies everywhere she turned, and an expecting cat being pinned down by a huge, muscly one. On instinct, still hearing Streamsong's words, she raced towards them.

"When the death blow approaches, let you be the one to save others who only have one chance in life." She leaped, and she heard her spine crunch beneath the rock solid blow. But she felt nothing, and immediately snapped back to the starry forest, filled with starry cats, who were all so close to her, while the living felt far away. Her sister purred and padded back to join the line of cats in front of her. The next cat she saw approaching her was smaller than all of the others, and she squinted to try and get a closer look. She gasped as the figure came into view.

"Hey Icepaw."

Icepaw raced into the toms chest, and he nuzzled her as they touched noses.

"No one said I got a visit from you!"

"No one said I got to visit you." Treepaw purred, and Icepaw smiled.

"Icepaw, with this life, I give you health. Live a long happy life, catching no fatal-diseases, or having tragic accidents. Life until you retire as an elder." Icepaw purred. She didn't feel anything, but a warmth spreading through her from the tip of her nose to the end of her paws, but she was fairly certain that that was just the effect Treepaw had on her. He purred and padded back to his own section of the forest, waving his tail at her. Next came Breezepaw, giving her purity, the power to fight off lies and greed that tempted to blacken her heart and soul.

Flamepaw gave her peace. He explained that this was the gift of tactfulness almost. Of peacemaking. "When others wag war," he mewed. "have the mind not to join. Have the mind to stop them." When the ginger tom had finished giving her his life, Icepaw thought of how much bigger he was, how much he had grown both mentally and physically, from his days as a kittypet.

Stonepaw was always smirking at her, but in a good-natured way, and he gave her the power of loyalty.

"Use it to protect those in your Clan, and to never be swayed by the knocks from others, and to fight until your last breath purely for the sake of your Clan." He padded away into the bushes, but Icestar couldn't help but yowl to the older StarClan warriors.

"Wait! I have received ten lives! Not nine!" Leopardstar frowned.

"Ooops! Did I not say that? Sorry!" she purred, and they all came forward to lick her shoulder in turn.

Icestar had given Treestar the life of love, to protect those that he loved, Flamestar courage, to follow paths that no others have before, Breezestar received confidence, to believe in herself and others around her, and she gave Stonestar willpower, to go on as long as he was needed, even when he could no longer feel hope when he grasped for it.

When Icestar awoke to her Clan surrounding her, all wearing worried and anxious expressions, even though she could hear Everpine behind them saying, "It's alright, StarClan have her."

"She's _dead_?" Wispyheart yowled.

"No, she'll be back any minute. They probably have an important message to tell her."

"Are you sure she's not dead?"  
"She's not moving!"

"She opened her eye!"

She heard them all gasp right in her ear.

"Icepaw! Are you ok?" Amberclaw weaved his way towards the front of the crowd, and nudged her to her paws. She grinned.

"I'm Icestar now."

The IceClan cats looked confused, but Everpine smiled and licked her shoulder.

"She's been given her nine lives by StarClan." A moment of quiet, and then yowls of congratulations and a lot of flank brushing broke out. Icestar silenced them with a flick of her tail.

"I actually received ten lives."

"What?"

"Well that makes sense, she's part of a prophecy right?"  
"_Cool_!"

Everyone was silenced, as they all turned to see Birdkit and Greykit trying to barge their way into the crowd.

"What?" Wispyheart stared incredulously at her kits.

"Cool!" the kits chimed together. Ashenwhisker rushed forward to cover them in licks, whilst his mate purred loudly and scooped Birdkit up by her scruff.

"What an eventful evening!" Twistedfate purred, before collapsing into his nest and drifting off into a heavy slumber. Everyone chuckled. Icestar pushed her way out of the cave, and straight into Stonestar, who hissed. However when he saw who it was, he purred and buried his face in her fur, to Icestar's amazement.

"Thank you so much!" His words were muffled in her long fur, and she saw Treestar, Breezestar and Flamestar emerging from their dens, and they formed a huge group hug.

"Thank you all for my lives!" Breezestar squealed.

"It doesn't feel like we're leaders at all, does it?" Flamepaw mewed quizzically. Treestar shook his head.

"Just apprentices with a title."

"I'm gonna do the best that any cat could ever try to be the best leader my Clan could ever have." Stonestar vowed.

"I'll beat you there!" Icestar purred.

They stood there purring for a little while, before they sat under the willow with their tails curled around their noses, until each of them quietly went back to their own dens, to their own Clans.


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Named

Icestar awoke to crying kits. She lifted her head up slightly and blinked with bleary eyes.

"Sh! Lovies, lovies, be quiet!" Wispyheart whispered hurriedly.

She dropped her head back onto her nest.

_Well that's _one _thing I'll be happy about when we move _she thought.

"Mum! We wanna go outside!"

"You're too young to get out of the willow tree."

"We're way old enough!"

"Yeah! We're almost apprentices!"

"No you're not! And how do you know about apprentices?"

"We listen..." she heard them giggle.

Greykit and Birdkit had spoken their first words only the dawn before, but it had soon become apparent that they had been able to speak for quite a while, and were picking up new words all the time. Icestar got to her paws and padded out of the cave as quietly as she could, so as not to avert the attention of the kits to herself. Apparently, she wasn't quiet enough.

"Icestar! Will you take us with you?" Greykit practically tripped up on his own paws as he scurried towards her. Icestar sighed, and Wispyheart pushed them back with a strong sweep of her paw.

"You shouldn't be so disrespectful to your Clan leader!" she scolded them. She turned to Icestar with a desperate look in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm sure other kits aren't like this."

"Oh, they're all the same, don't you worry." Icestar purred. Wispyheart smiled at her as her leader exited the den and sighed. Truthfully, it was a little bit strange that the kits had been able to talk so fluently after they were only two moons old, but now they were four moons old, and Icestar was terribly bored of Clan life. They hadn't done anything for a whole two moons, and she was getting fed up of waiting around for the other Clans to gather more members, which, IceClan hadn't done, since they had so many clanmates already.

Outside, she found Brightfang showing her apprentice Lightpaw some fighting moves, although the creamy furred she-cat seemed to be finding it easy work. She also spotted Mistflower and Eagleclaw, and across the shade of the tree from them she saw Treestar talking to some cats by the names of Tulippaw, and the brothers, Pantherclaw and Shellfur. She beckoned her cats around her with her tail.

"Ok, can you all go out on a hunting patrol for me?" They all nodded. "Great. I have to go and talk to the leaders about something, I'll join you in a couple of minutes, take the route by the stream and I'll meet you there." The group headed out of the make-shift camp, and Icestar headed towards the tabby leader of TreeClan before she whipped around to add another thing to the hunting patrol's list of things to do.

"Oh, and Lightpaw?" The apprentice sat up straight and pushed her chest out. "Be ready for your final assessment when I get there." Brightfang gasped and rubbed flanks with her apprentice, while Lightpaw herself just sat there gawping. Icestar purred, and skipped off over to Treestar.

"Hey." he turned to her just as his cats were climbing up the willow tree.

"Hi."

"What's up?"

"Well, I think we should move into our camps and divide territories today."

Treestar and Icestar had still spent a few moonlight nights together outside of the willow tree, and loved each other passionately. He rubbed his face in her chest fur and breathed in her scent to the sound of her gasps.

"Not here!" she mewed, but her smile gave her away.

"Me and Stonestar discussed it already, I was just coming over to talk to you about it."

"Great! What did Breezestar and Flamestar say?"

"They thought it was a great idea."

"You have got enough cats haven't you?"

"Sure!" he purred. "Over the last moons I got Tulippaw, Heatherfoot, Strongpaw and Twilightcloud. All great cats." he purred proudly. "But there was one problem me and Stonestar came across." Icestar frowned.

"What's that?" she tipped her head to one side.

"Well, the medicine cats don't have a place to contact StarClan."

"Oh," Icestar looked at the ground beneath her paws. "That's a big problem."

"I'm sure we'll find something on our travels, but in the mean time, I think we should send out a group of five cats from each Clan, including the Clan leaders," Icestar smiled happily. "to go and find a camp and territory borders. And, once they're done, they can find a sacred place to worship StarClan. We'll appoint deputies once we arrive at the camps." he mewed. Icestar was shocked at how carefully thought out this was. He had been as restless as the white furred she-cat, and that relieved her. For a little while during her boredom period, she had been very scared that she was being too selfish. She nodded.

"Ok, you can ask the other leaders then, I have an assessment to watch!" she mewed, and raced off towards the stream, where she found Brightfang and Lightpaw chatting pleasantly.

"Where are Eagleclaw and Mistflower?" she mewed quizzically.

"They went to go and deliver the fish and birds back to camp before they rot." Mistflower answered.

"You mean like crow-food?" Icestar pointed out.

"What's that?" Lightpaw asked.

"It's food with worms, rotten food, the stuff that crows eat." she replied. "Now lets get to work."

"Lightpaw, you're going to go off into the woods as far as where the pine trees start. You know where that is?" The creamy furred apprentice nodded. "Good. Along the way you're going to hunt me four pieces of fresh-kill, but don't worry if you don't get them all, just don't get too much. Show me the IceClan style in everything you do."

The apprentice's eyes were wide.

"I won't be watching you all the time, but you'll have to just assume that I'm there, because you won't know when I am and when I'm not. You ready?" Lightpaw nodded confidently, and took off into the woods. Icestar immediately turned to the river bank, and started rolling herself in mud and fish scent.

"Ok, three things: One, wait here until we get back, Two, I _will_ be watching her the whole time, and Three, I'm going to attack her in the IceClan tradition." she mewed in between rolls. When she stood, she looked like a brown cat and smelled like unnoticeable water and fish. Brightfang chuckled.

"And who made IceClan tradition?" she purred.

"Me of course!" Icestar bat the mentor playfully around the ear, and set off after Lightpaw's trail, waving her tail at Brightfang as she ran.

The leader pounded through the woods, until she could see the creamy coloured pelt that was the apprentice, staring hard at the river bank. Icestar crouched and slunk along the bushed until she was right in front of the she-cat, concealed by a clump of brownish bushes.

Lightpaw sat absolutely still, her reflection and shadow both off of the water, until her paw broke the surface of the water, and was out in a flash, and her leader had to duck further down as the apprentice looked around her, presumably for Icestar.

Lightpaw buried her catch and moved deeper into the woods, catching three birds and burying them all before she reached the border where the pine trees started. She sat for a minute, licking her fur, and just as she got to her paws to start traveling back, Icestar leaped on her with a ferocious yowl.

Lightpaw yelped as her leader planted herself firmly on her shoulders, and slumped down onto the earth. Her leader knew this move, but she had to go easy for the apprentice's sake, and so she loosened her grip, just before the fierce apprentice twisted her whole body around with tremendous effort and grabbed her neck with a clawed paw, and in one smooth motion, brought Icestar to the ground. It was now Lightpaw, who was on top.

Icestar squeezed her eyes shut, afraid that the uncommon shade of blue would give her away, and so she wriggled underneath her until she was out, and pawed with her claws unsheathed. Lightpaw chuckled evilly, and twisted her paw around in an agonizing position, but Icestar squirmed free and bit gently into her clanmate's tail. Lightpaw hissed and she whipped around to slide under her leader's belly, scratching it as she passed through. Icestar yowled in fake pain, and she snarled as she charged into her opponent's side and shoved her up against a tree. Going limp, Icestar finally let the apprentice get a good grip on her, and pin her down, although the mud covered she-cat still had her eyes closed and her face squished against the ground.

"Alright, who are you, and why did you atta-" She was cut off by Icestar's yowl as she slithered free and made it look like she had accidentally fallen in the river.

"Help, HELP!" she wailed, holding her paws in the air but letting herself float enough to keep her head above the water as she paddled downstream. Lightpaw followed her on the banks, and jumped in, paddling strongly as she grabbed Icestar's scruff and hauled her onto the river banks. Her opponent lay panting on the ground.

"Why did you do that?" she growled and Icestar groaned as the younger cat jumped onto her again. She grinned.

"Because you just passed your assessment!" she squealed, and Lightpaw hesitated a moment, but then stepped off of her leader's soaked body.

"Oh Great StarClan Icestar! You had me scared to death!" she purred, and Icestar rubbed flanks with her. "That was such a fun assessment!" she mewed. "I didn't even recognise you under all that mud."

"Well, I'm going to have to do that a lot more times while I'm alive, so I'm glad I'm so good at it!" she mewed. "Come on, let's get your prey and head back to camp."

"I, Icestar, leader of IceClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this cats. She has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and vow today to protect and abide to the warrior code from here on, as I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Lightpaw, step forward."

The creamy she-cat had been groomed by her mentor Brightfang, and looked sleek and pretty as she climbed up onto the cave, her blue eyes shining like innocent orbs.

"Lightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend IceClan, even at the cost of your life?" Lightpaw nodded, and opened her mouth.

"I do." she mewed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lightpaw, from this moment, you will be known as Lightheart. StarClan trusts that you will give all your selflessness and wisdom to IceClan, and that you will pass on your skills to other who come after you." she purred, and Lightheart dipped her head. She bent down to place her muzzle between the new warrior's ears. She licked her shoulder, and they stepped back, and the Clan chanted her knew name.

"Lightheart! Lightheart! Lightheart! Lightheart!"

All the Clan was cheering, but it was obvious that at the heart of the crowd, Flickertail's voice was the strongest, and Icestar purred.

"There's someone who loves you there." she whispered to the new warrior, who nodded, choked up, and sprang down to join him.

Icestar held up her tail when the noise died down, and signaled her Clan to stay there.

"Cats of IceClan, today I will choose four cats to come and plot our territory, and to prepare our camp. We may also, be discovering the StarClan connected place that our medicine cats will share dreams with StarClan at." The Clan was silent. You could hear a pin drop.

"These cats will be...Amberclaw, Brightfang, Mistflower and Eagleclaw." The cats that were chosen sighed, and the toms puffed out their chests.

"Ashenwhisker will be in charge while we are away. We have been given two days, but I'm sure we'll be back before then, and when we are, we will leave immediately. In the mean time, we will leave now, and Lightheart will watch guard over the camp tonight."

The warriors said their goodbyes, and set off up the mountain, with high hopes for their territories.


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Home

Icestar lead the group up the mountainside with Brightfang only a tail-length behind her, since she had been to the camp before.

Before the prophecy became part of her life, the leader of IceClan had lived in the camp all of her life with her parents, and for one day her sister, Streamsong. She new the territory around it as well as she knew her own fur, and had a confident picture of what she would discuss with her neighboring Clans.

When they got to the camp, Eagleclaw, Amberclaw and Mistflower had a little poke around the place, before Brightfang and Icestar grabbed them back for a tour.

"When we came here before, we thought that this would be a sort of rock to have announcements on, here in the centre, jutting out from the leader's den." She waved her tail towards the SmallCliff, and then brought them over to the elder's den, leading them inside. Suddenly, a claw cuffed her ear, and she heard a hiss from the darkness. The other IceClan cats sensed danger, and they formed a barricade around the outside of the entrance, since there wasn't much room for a fight with six cats in the den. Icestar ducked beneath a blow that shed some light onto her attacker. A white furred she-cat, flecked with grey on her muzzle and fierce green eyes that bore into her own.

"Stay out of our home!"

"This is _our_ home!" Icestar hissed, and realised that their were two younger cats that she was protecting, a sandy coloured she-cat, and an identical tom. The only difference between them was the muscular hint to the tom's broad shoulders.

"I have lived here all of my life, and I have come back to claim it for my Clan to live in! Trust me, you don't wanna start a fight with me." she growled, but the she-cat only smiled.

"Try me, kit." But her expression quickly changed as she took in Icestar's words. "Wait, you're those Clan cats from a little way down the mountain!" she mewed incredulously.

"The one and only..." the IceClan leader mewed suspiciously.

"Please take us in. We have no where to go, I don't know how to hunt very well, and my daughter has died, leaving me to look after her kits!" she wailed desperately, and Icestar glanced back to the kits. More than apprentice age really.

How could she ignore her cries? Wasn't the Clan still pretty small? They could always do with more members. She shot a look at Amberclaw, who nodded.

"Well it's not that simple. If you were to join the Clan the kits would have to become apprentices for the Clan, and you'd have to live as an elder here-"

"Please, we're starving. We'll give back what we can, you can have Sandy and Tommy here, I'm sure they'd be fully committed to IceClan." she cried.

"What? You know about IceClan?" she mewed.

"Of course! We wanted to join the Clans before, because we met some FireClan cats, but we forgot where the meeting place was, and then my daughter died..." she sobbed. Icestar's heart was breaking. She couldn't turn this poor family away.

"Alright. You can join."

"Thank you, thank you so much. And, um, could there be a place in the Clan for Henry and James?" she added, and for the first time, she noticed a smaller light grey tom, with brave green eyes, who looked right on the apprentice age. He was adorably looking at him, but he had a certain tough atmosphere. Then, almost blending in with the shadows was a tom, about Brightfang's age, who had alarmingly red eyes, but a kind face.

"Yes, all of you can join. Come with us, we're just sorting out territories today. We'll probably be done by today, but Eagleclaw and Mistflower are going to stay here and look after you when we go down to fetch our Clan."

She padded backwards out of the cave, and beckoned that cats with her too.

"Er, what's your name sorry?" she asked the eldest cat.

"Mary." she answered.

"Ok, IceClanners, these are Mary, Sandy, Tommy and Henry. Mary and co, these are Mistflower, Amberclaw, Eagleclaw and Brightfang." she introduced them, and turned to the IceClan cats.

"They'll be joining IceClan." Her cats nodded understandingly, and she showed them around the rest of the camp.

The whole party followed her through the forest, and just a little way from the camp she showed them a bubbling spring, that weaved it's way around the territory before heading downhill in a nice line. They met the TreeClan party at the edge of the river.

"I see you've acquired more Clan cats there Icestar!" Treestar purred fondly.

"Ah, yes. This is Treestar, Shellfur...um, Treestar?"

"These are Shellfur, Elderflower, Twilightcloud and Strongpaw."

"These are TreeClan cats. I'm guessing this will be your territory."

"That's right. Guess we're neighbors." Shellfur answered.

Things were a little awkward, but they all hurried off to the other side of their territory, and made scent markers by a small waterfall that fell across into the gorge below. There was a way across though; a wide path that acted almost like a natural bridge.

They waited for a patrol to come by, and some cats did. StoneClan.

"Hey, are you making markers here?" Stonestar shouted across the falls.

"Yes! We need to go down. Good to see you!" she yowled back, and both parties made their way down to the clear grassy section of the mountain, to find the other Clans more or less waiting for them.

"Stonestar, Icestar, pleased to see you." Flamestar raised an eyebrow. "And you're...new members." All eyes were cast to Mary, James, Tommy, Sandy and Henry, who all shrunk back a bit.

"I was just discussing with Breezestar that this should be where we meet every moon. I can't think of a more perfect area than the willow, since it can hold all of the cats. We just need a name."

"How about just, the Willow?" Tinderheart of FireClan suggested.

"WiseWillow?" someone else from FireClan mewed, Smallstep.

"I like WiseWillow." Icestar purred. "But maybe we could make it, _the_ WiseWillow?" she added. Silence followed.

"Anyone have any objections to the WiseWillow?" No one spoke. "Okay then. Every moon." Breezestar mewed. Today was quite a dull day, despite all of the moving and Clan camps and territories. No one seemed in the mood for much. Maybe they just wanted to get along with things.

"The medicine cats have all found a place to share tongues with StarClan, called StarCliff." "They all decided on it together at the WiseWillow." Stonepaw added.

After the meeting, they all headed back to the much cheerier Clans.

"Who're they?!" Lightheart gasped.

"They're so thin!" Wispyheart mewed in shock.  
"These are Mary, James, Sandy, Tommy and Henry." How many times did she say their names that day? "We found them in the camp, they were starving, so their joining. We'll give them their warrior names at the camp."

"Are we traveling now?" Flickertail asked.

"Yes." Icestar replied. She was so tired, her bones ached. She wanted to see Treestar, that's what was weighing her down. She decided that the next day, she would see him privately. It was so good to be neighbors with him.

There was a lot of groaning as they made their way up to the camp, but they moved with surprising swiftness, and so they got there by Moonhigh. Icestar was just about to leap on the SmallCliff, when Brightfang came hurrying up to her.

"Icestar, I know that technically a deputy is supposed to have had one apprentice, but just because I've trained Lightpaw a bit, please don't choose me, ok?" Icestar frowned. "I love being part of IceClan, but I don't think I'm ready for all of that responsibility yet." she looked worriedly at her leader, who purred.

"I understand." Brightfang sighed in relief and hurried back to chat to James. Icestar sighed confusedly. She didn't let anyone into their dens before she could get onto the SmallCliff, and she began to speak, making up her rough summons as she went along, grinning, finding renewed energy at being up in the mountains.

"Let all cats old enough to swim, gather here beneath the SmallCliff, for the first IceClan meeting." she stammered, and giggled to herself. She might have to change that.

"First I want to say, thank you all for becoming IceClan members. Whether you were part of HopeClan, you were a kittypet or a loner. Thank you for accepting me as your leader. I know a lot of you are older than me, and I know that it's often hard to trust cats with less experience than me, so thank you for all your faith in me." The cats below yowled agreement.

"And now, I would like to ask Eagleclaw to come up to the SmallCliff." Eagleclaw looked confused, but he padded up confidently.

"I, Icestar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this cat. He has trained hard to become a true Clan cat, to follow the ways of your code, and to be honourable and courageous for all of his clanmates. Eagleclaw, you were made a warrior of IceClan on your vows to the Warrior Code, and today, I am commending you to StarClan as my deputy." The tabby warrior's jaw was wide open. "Eagleclaw, do you promise to protect and care for IceClan, and to represent them when I am absent, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" he yowled, and the cats below laughed loudly. Eagleclaw smiled proudly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you my deputy. I will turn to you for advice in battle, to organise patrols and to nurture IceClan. I trust that you will devote all of your bravery and wisdom to IceClan, and that you will have a long and peaceful reign as deputy." she smiled at him, and purring, and she placed her head on his, as he licked her shoulder.

"Eagleclaw! Eagleclaw! Eagleclaw!" IceClan cheered. Eagleclaw hopped off of the SmallCliff, but sat beneath it, facing the Clan cats.

"And now, Mary, if you could come up please." Mary stepped up to the SmallCliff and stood in front of Icestar.

"I, Icestar call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these cats..."

And so, Mary became known as Cloudywhisker, and sent over to the elder's den with Twistedfate. James was named Garneteye, and sent to the warrior's den. Sandy, Tommy and Henry in that order were transformed into Thunderpaw and Lightningpaw, and Whisperpaw. They pretty much collapsed into the apprentice's den.

_Well this was a good day. I mean, we got five new Clan members, a camp, a territory, and a line to StarClan. _Icestar thought, as she burrowed into her nest in the Leader's Den. It was cold in there, and lonely, but Icestar thought that with a bit of lichen, or some feathers, she could make a cozy den. But still lonely.

It was times like this that she wished for Treestar. But she was in her camp. With all of her cats in the right places, and a new warrior on vigil.

She rolled over in her nest. Sleeping alone would be fine, she had done it her whole life until the Clans. It would just take some getting used to. She closed her eyes and drifted off into a blissful dream in the mountains.


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Home

Icestar opened her eyes. It was warm, and now that she'd slept here once it didn't smell so strange either. She purred, and sat up, washing herself and all of the feathers out of her long white fur.

Padding out of the Leader's Den, she saw that almost every cat in the Clan was awake, and only the queens had yet to appear. But she knew they would be up, because you could hear that their kits were active. She padded over to Everpine's den.

"And this one cures bellyaches, I know that." she heard Whisperpaw mew.

Icestar found herself in a cave with shelves of rock, half covered in herbs, and the IceClan medicine cat smiling as he showed the new apprentice around. He whipped around at her entrance.

"Oh, sorry Icestar. Bye Everpine!" he purred as he padded away thoughtfully out of the den.

"Icestar if you'd allow it, I think we've found a medicine cat apprentice." he purred.

"It does seem like that. is he interested in fighting at all?"

"He said he didn't like fighting, because he thought it was a waste of time." Everpine mewed.

"That sounds like our tom." she purred. "I have to go and give the apprentices their mentors, but are you sure you want him?" she asked seriously. Everpine nodded, and she sped out of the den and below the SmallCliff.

_I have to make it better this time..._she thought to herself.

"Let all those old enough to brave the mountains, join here for a Clan meeting."

Was that ok?

She shot a concerned look towards Eagleclaw, who nodded confidently back. She couldn't be like that anymore. She had to be strong and brave, and confident and wise, and fierce when the time came. IceClan had by now gathered around the SmallCliff, and so Icestar leapt up with a graceful spring onto the highest point of the SmallCliff.

"Cats of IceClan. Yesterday we welcomed five new members into the Clan, and today some of them shall be given mentors." Cloudywhisker gasped and hurried over to the cats with her to cover them in licks. "Garneteye shall be taught by the other warriors, but I'd like Thunderpaw, Lightningpaw and Whisperpaw to join me here on the SmallCliff.

"Eagleclaw, step up." Eagleclaw purred as he reached the rock. _I guess it was kind of obvious that he was going to get an apprentice. _she thought, and shrugged to herself.

"Eagleclaw, as deputy of IceClan, even if only for a short while, I trust you as my second in command. I have always admired your skill in battle, and your courage and selflessness when it came to your clanmates, and I hope that you can pass on these traits to Lightningpaw." Lightningpaw stepped closer, and Eagleclaw placed his head on hers for her to lick his shoulder.

"I won't let you down, I swear to StarClan!" she mewed, and rubbed flanks with her new mentor. Their training would have to be quick, three moons maybe? They were pretty much at the young warrior age already. But training could not be skipped, she reminded herself.

The mentor and apprentice sat behind the line of cats on the rock, and she beckoned Thunderpaw forward with her tail.

"Mistflower." The white she-cat grinned to herself as she bounced up onto the rock. "Mistflower you are caring and clever, and your quick-thinking in battle has always been an inspiring sight. I hope you can teach all that you have learnt to your new apprentice Thunderpaw." He licked her shoulder and she placed her head on top of his. Thunderpaw only whispered to his mentor that he wouldn't be 'a disappointment' to her, he swore. Whisperpaw stepped forward on his own initiative.

"Everpine." Some gasps from the audience. "You have been our faithful medicine cat for at least three moons now, and have done a fantastic job. You not only acted as healer, but a helping hand when I was confused, and were a little like a deputy when I received my ten lives," The crowd laughed. "I hope that you will show your new apprentice Whisperpaw all that there is to know of StarClan and herbs, and pass on your patience, wisdom and calm."

"Everpine! Mistflower! Eagleclaw!" the chant went on. Normally, they would chant the apprentice's names, but they had had their cheers the day before, and now was the mentor's turn. The crowd of cats disbanded as Icestar leapt down from the rock, and the apprentices and mentors followed her.

"Everybody go and train. Mistflower and Eagleclaw you can take your apprentices to the clearing that I showed you yesterday, the one with the wide river running through it?" The mentors nodded. "Great, have fun!" she mewed to all of them as they padded out of camp.

"Right everyone!" she yowled. "I want Garneteye to go out on a border patrol with Amberclaw, Flickertail and Lightheart. At the same time we'll have Brightfang, Ashenwhisker and Rockfur out on a hunting patrol. Everyone has to be back before Sunhigh. Let's go!" she shouted, and the crowd split up into groups. It felt good to be in charge of the Clan with a jolly atmosphere that morning.

Icestar lay back into her den for a couple of hours sleep,since she had awoken before dawn and only eventually drifted back to sleep.

When she awoke, she saw Lightningpaw laying down a salmon for her.

"Did you catch that?" she purred with one eye closed.

"Yeah. It was my first catch!" the apprentice purred back. "I wanted you to have it, since you took me and my family in. You were asleep before, but you didn't wake up, so I decided to just leave it here for when you woke."

"What relation does Garneteye have to you and your brothers?"

"He's our Dad's brother-I mean our uncle. He was there when our parents died, and so he came to us to try and look after us, but hunting was hard enough and he had to feed all four of us." she hung her head, her paw making patterns in the sand on the floor.

"I'm sorry." Icestar was sitting up again, her tail wrapped around the apprentice's shoulders. "You'll be safe here. Maybe you'll see your parents in StarClan some time?" she purred, and the pale ginger tabby looked up.

"You really think so?"

"If you believe in StarClan, they believe in StarClan, right? And when a good cat dies, they go to StarClan." Lightningpaw giggled. "Everyone knows that." Lightningpaw smiled. She was almost the same age as her leader, maybe a few moons younger, and Icestar could relate to her parent problems. She liked Lightningpaw, and her tail brushed off as the apprentice rubbed flanks with her and left the den. Icestar yawned and stretched as she opened her eyes and blinked in the sinking sun. She had been asleep all day! She padded around the camp, listening to conversations shared in dens.

"Sh sweeties! You're five moons today, that means one more moon. Can't you wait that long?" Wispyheart purred. _Five moons today...oops. I guess I lost count_ she thought.

"Kits huh? Drive you up the den walls."

"How old are yours?"

"Almost three moons. Thank StarClan they can walk, I was getting tired of carrying them around everywhere." Icestar moved up the camp.

"OOH, ooh! Show us another one!"

"Ok, well Mistflower showed me this one!" There was a pause, and then she heard Sagetail's kits squealing in admiration.

"Do it again!" Oatkit screamed. Another pause, and she heard a thump.

"That would hurt so bad." Acornkit chuckled.

"When I'm an apprentice, I'm so gonna take you on!" Plumkit scoffed.

"Oh yeah? Why not now?" Thunderpaw challenged.

"Ok, why not then?" Plumkit growled.

"Hey, hey. Play nice Thunderpaw." she heard Lightningpaw reason.

Icestar moved on, a different conversation drawing her ears in.

"So, you looked after them all by yourself?"

"Well, not really. Garneteye was the one hunting."

"But you were the oldest there?"

"Yes."

"That's so great that you tried to defend your family."

Icestar hurried on quickly because the chatting had stopped, and there was a lot of rustling going on in the den.

"...you see, getting pinned down is going to happen a lot if your opponent is stronger than you, so you'll need to be really good at wriggling..." Ashenwhisker was lecturing Garneteye it seemed. "The best thing to do with enemies, for IceClan cats, is that we mostly have long thick fur. So when we puff it up, we look huge..."

"Woah, Ashenwhisker you look terrifying!" she heard the black tom mew approvingly. Icestar smiled. The Clan was doing so well. Eagleclaw was just going past her when she stopped him.

"Hey, I'm just going on a quick border patrol, you're in charge." she told him, and he nodded.

"Flickertail, Garneteye and Brightfang, come with me."

"Where are we going?" Garneteye stammered.

"Border patrol. We might hunt along the way too."

"Where are we going?" Brightfang asked.

"TreeClan border."

There were no more questions as they headed out of the camp through the tunnel in the rock walls that sloped steeply around the camp.

They stopped off at the bank and the three warriors sat on the edge of the water, as still as statues.

"Erm, I d-" Icestar silenced Garneteye with a flick of her tail, and a heartbeat later her paw darted in the water with a splash, coming back out with two small fish hooked on her claws. Brightfang and Flickertail had both caught a big fish each, their paws splashing on the river water at the same time. They congratulated each other on their catches, and decided to swim up the river to the border.

"You swim don't you?" Brightfang asked the new member of IceClan.

"I can paddle."

"Then you can swim! Get in." Icestar purred. Garneteye didn't move, so Flickertail jumped out and shoved him in.

"Oooh that's nice." he admitted. The water was cool on the surprisingly warm day, and they spotted Sagetail swimming down the river, although she didn't see them.

They swam strongly upriver, Garneteye becoming more confident around the fun, easy going IceClan cats. They all climbed out of the water and onto the banks at the start of the mix of birch and pine trees that split the IceClan and TreeClan territories, helped by the river that took a bend to cut across the high mountainside.

They split up to go up and down the border, and Icestar went to rub her scent on a burnt tree. She thought that she smelt something strange, and so she retraced her steps back to camp, when just outside the entrance, something huge and heavy landed on top of her.

"Argh!" she let out a war cry and then turned boldly to face her attacker. Her brave grin disappeared in a heartbeat.

On top of her, was a snarling, bright red fox.


	19. Chapter 17

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

**I apologise for the overload of exciting things in the last few chapters. After the next chapter I promise it will get boring for a while. XD Oh, and this one is really short because the perfect ending appeared before I could get down three pages :(**

Chapter Seventeen

Oh. Crap.

"Icestar?!"

Icestar barely heard Brightfang's petrified shout. She was far away anyway. She was more focused on the wicked grin on the slobbering fox's face. It launched it's teeth towards her face, and Icestar wriggled her head under it's chest. She scratched at it's belly fur, and scrambled free from it's grasp, turning to bite hard on it's long bushy tail. It howled in pain and whipped around to bite hard on her ear. She yowled in anger, hardly feeling the pain as she launched it up into the air with a strong kick from her hind legs. It landed in a heap by a tree, but it immediately got back to it's paws and and gave her a hard kick on her hind leg, which made a horrifying crack. She yowled in pain, and sat, with her leg at an awkward angle. The fox made a lunge at her, and she scratched it viciously, twisting it's forepaw like Lightpaw had to her a few dawns ago. It snarled angrily, and grabbed her neck with it's teeth.

_No! I have to protect my clanmates! _she screamed desperately in her head. She gurgled something unintelligible, and scrabbled on the ground with her front paws to propel herself backward. They sat there, watching each other's every move, panting. In one swift motion, Icestar had dragged herself behind the fox and twisted it's neck backward, making a little cry for help, before it slumped to the ground. Dead. She looked up to see half of her Clan filing out from the camp, along with her patrol gawping at her.

"So _that's _why she's a prophecy cat." she heard Plumkit mew thoughtfully, followed by an annoyed cry as her mother cuffed her around her ear. Everpine pushed his way forward to help drag her into camp, and gave the apprentices some vague orders.

"Thunderpaw; cobwebs. LOTS of cobwebs, and Lightningpaw I want three sticks, one of them needs to be long and flat, the other two can be regular ones. Whisperpaw get me lots of long thin leaves, and some poppy seeds." he mewed hurriedly, and the apprentices whizzed off. Eagleclaw was supporting her as she stumbled into the medicine den, but when they arrived he was told to leave immediately. Lightningpaw arrived with Thunderpaw at her side, and now all of Icestar's bravado was gone, and she was shrieking at every movement, losing blood fast. Whisperpaw and Everpine worked swiftly and professionally, Everpine doing the treating and Whisperpaw fetching and applying. She was given a few poppy seeds to chew on, and she drifted in and out of slumber. When she regained her senses, she was covered in cobwebs, her fur stained with blood and listening to a muffled conversation.

"Is she alright?" That was Eagleclaw. What a good deputy.

"She has multiple wounds. A deep cut in her ear, a gash on her chest, little cuts around her throat and two wounds on her back."

"What do you make of her leg?" he sounded scared. For her? No, the Clan of course. Everpine sucked air through his teeth.

"That's tricky. See, she was mumbling in her sleep about it being broken, because it cracked, and I don't quite know how to put it back without Icestar being in extreme pain."

Silence.

"It has been dislocated at two different points; from her hip and her paw, but I know that there's something else. I think some of the bone has snapped off. Just a small part, not vital, maybe the size of a claw." Everpine continued.

"Great StarClan..."

"She'll be alright. Don't go worrying yourself."

"How can I not?!" Eagleclaw raised his voice to a yowl, and then growled. He sighed. "Will she lose a life is all I'm asking?" he mewed.

"I don't know." Everpine sounded so old and tired. Icestar suddenly had the urge to get better immediately, and to stop putting so much worry on her medicine cat's shoulders. And, apparently her deputy...

"Icestar? Are you awake?"

"Hmm?" she tried to sound asleep. "Who's that?" she mewed suspiciously.

"It's me, Eagleclaw." he rubbed his paw along her spine, avoiding the scratched areas.

"Icestar. Ok, erm...Whisperpaw! I need the sticks." The grey tom came rushing in with two sticks, and let Icestar grab one in her mouth from off of the ground.

"Bite on the stick when it hurts ok?" She nodded.

"One, two, three!"

They pulled on her leg and yanked it back into place. Her cries were muffled, and the stick broke in two with a fierce snap.

"And again!"

Another yank, another stick. After wailing a little while, Icestar hardly felt any pain, and she drifted off into a pleasant sleep.

"Icestar? We need to talk to you."

Was that Lightheart? She shifted onto her paws, finding that her leg didn't even hurt. She smiled. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"We followed the fox's scent into a bush, and we found this little scrap."

Icestar squinted to see what Brightfang held up behind her, and gasped as she realised that it was a fluffy grey kit.


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

And who might you be?

"What in StarClan..." Icestar began to speak, but she closed her mouth immediately. The she-kit had fallen, and had stumbled towards Icestar for help. It mewled defenselessly as it lay down by Icestar's belly. She looked up to find her warriors staring at her in shock. She smiled and tipped her head to the side before gasping and chuckling.

"No, no I swear to StarClan she's not mine!" she purred, and the patrol visibly relaxed.

The kit, with open, pale yellow eyes and adorably fluffy grey fur looked around three moons old, although it had neglected yet to speak.

"What shall we do with her?" Lightheart mewed in a barely audible voice.

"You say you found it in the fox's den?" she asked, nuzzling the kit and sniffing it. It certainly smelled of fox.

"Yes, and there was some blood. The fox must have caught your scent and thought you were a better...meal, before it was going to eat this poor soul." Brightfang mewled, her heart melting for the little scrap.

"She doesn't smell like any Clan but that could have been the fox scent covering it. I think it's more likely that it's mother was a rogue that died sometime in the winter." she concluded. "We keep her."

The patrol, made up of Flickertail, Brightfang and Mistflower all breathed out loudly and mewed thanks or congratulations.

"I will name her Gentlekit." she continued, purring non-stop. "But who will look after her?"

Icestar was practically aching to say that she would, but it would mess with her duties. Leaders could have kits, of course, but not while the Clan was so new, so fresh and vulnerable!

"I think the queens migh-" Lightheart started, before Mistflower stepped forward.

"Um...if you wouldn't mind, I'd really like to look after her." Mistflower mewed shyly. Every cat in the room turned to her with curiosity.

"Look, if you had someone else in mind then that's fine, I jus-"

"No, Mistflower, you'd be a great mother, I'm sure," Icestar purred. "My only problem is that you have Thunderpaw." she looked at the white cat with serious eyes. Mistflower looked pained.

"I know, I know. But I want to look after her so badly, and, well..." her paw traed patterns on the ground. "I used to be a kittypet, and I fell in love with a tom. Except, I realised that I couldn't bear his kits after my twolegs took me to a white room and put something in me...so I can't have...kits." she hung her head and Icestar heard her voice tremble as she muttered her last word. All the other cats in the room looked upon her with pity and disgust at the story with her twolegs.

"I realised it was their fault and that's why I ran away." she add with a little sob.

"Say no more," Icestar mewed sympathetically. "Alright. You can be Gentlekit's mother," Mistflower's head snapped up, her eyes still betraying her as a sad and desperate cat. "But during the day when you are out training with your apprentice, the other queens will have to look after her. And Sagetail will feed her, since you don't have any milk." The new queen nodded seriously, although her eyes sparkled with newfound joy. She nodded and purred with her leader, before picking up her new kit by the scruff, and carrying her over to the nursery.

Once everyone had cleared out, Icestar stepped outside. Her leg didn't hurt anymore, and boy was she grateful for that, but it was awkward to move, and she had to experiment a lot with it as she padded around the camp, receiving many relieved looks from her clanmates, and lots of congrats, and, you're-amazing's. She looked to the sky to see the last blood orange rays disappearing in the world above her, as Silverpelt began to appear, along with a full moon.

A full moon!

Icestar gawped as she remembered the Gathering!

"Eagleclaw! It's the Gathering tonight!" she mewed fretfully.

"Really? Great StarClan it is! Ok, don't worry. Just choose some cats, and we'll head off as quickly as we can ok?" he brushed his tail on her shoulders, and Icestar had to fight not to flinch and shrug him off after what she had heard in the medicine den.  
"You're right, ok I can do this," she sat up straight and yowled out, "IceClan, assemble!"

After the initial gaggle of confusion had died down, Icestar dragged herself onto the SmallCliff.

"Tonight is the first Gathering, and we must appear strong!" A cheer rose up. "Of course, the permanent cats, Eagleclaw, Everpine and Whisperpaw must come, but I will choose the other cats now.

"As you may have heard, we have a new kit in the Clan, Gentlekit, whom Mistflower has adopted," Congratulations arose. "So she cannot come. But Lightningpaw and Thunderpaw will join us tonight,"

"YES!" the twins cheered.

"Along with; Rockfur, Flickertail, Lightheart, Garneteye, Twistedfate, Cloudywhisker, Brightfang, and Ashenwhisker."

The Gathering cats were congratulated, before Icestar jumped off of the big shelf of rock, and warned her Clan warmheartedly not to let her lead. They took off, Icestar managing to keep up around the middle of the cats, getting more and more confident with the use of her leg the more that she moved. They upped the pace at her command, and reached a line of bushes and trees, where Icestar stood in front, and flicked her tail as they all came flying down the hill towards the willow.

"Woah..." Thunderpaw mewed.

"I've never seen so many cats in my life!" his sister squeaked, and Eagleclaw purred. She beckoned her deputy to follow her, towards the base of the willow tree. Treestar was nestled up high in the branches, Stonestar sat on top of the pile of boulders, Flamestar was sitting politely on the firm bushes where his Clan once slept, Breezestar on some slightly different looking bushes, and Icestar invited Amberclaw to join her on top of their old den.

Treestar nodded in greeting with a warm smile, and she returned the gesture. He raised his eyebrows in question, and the IceClan leader nodded back.

"SILENCE!" Stonestar yowled, and stepped back. The muttering vanished, and Treestar spoke.

"For those of you who do not know, the Gathering is a time of peace. While the moon shines through these willow leaves, there will be no fighting or hatred between the Clans, and we will share news of our new warriors, kits, and any recent activity within Clan borders. If the moon is covered by clouds, StarClan is not happy, and we will disband. I will start.

"TreeClan have done well since we found our camp. We have no rank changes or cats, but we have successfully set up our borders and camp, and we have settled down well." he sat on the tree branch, and invited Flamestar to speak.

"Will you tell them about Gentlekit?" Eagleclaw asked her.

"No. Some of the pure Clan cats might be angry about us taking in a rogue kit." she mewed, Eagleclaw nodding in understanding.

"We have three new kits in the Clan, born from Lakepride and Quickfoot! Tornkit and Speckledkit are both healthy and happy, and we have celebrated the first birth in FlameClan." A cheer rose up from all the Clans, and Breezestar spoke for her Clan.

"We have lost a kit, but it will always be remembered in our Clan, and it's death has not weakened us." Stonestar finished, and bowed his head for silence. Eagleclaw shot her an anxious glance, and Icestar shook her head.

"He said their kit was dead. Is Gentlekit dead?" she asked him. Amberclaw smiled, relaxing his shoulders, as Icestar stood to report for her Clan.

"We have much to report! We have five new members of IceClan, Cloudywhisker, Garneteye, Thunderpaw, Lightningpaw and Whisperpaw, who are all here today!" The clans cheered. "And Lightheart has finished her training and become a warrior!" Another round of congratulative yowls. "And last but not least, we discovered a fox on our territory! We were forced to killed it, so it is no threat to any of you, but it was a great achievement for us."

"You mean _you _killed it!" Rockfur yowled warm-heartedly. The IceClan cats all laughed, and their leader smiled and shook her head modestly. She sat back on her haunches atop the cave, and Treestar looked around.

"If that is all, then this Gathering is over." he finished, and the Clans dropped back into separate groups, ready to head off, back to their camps.

"Is that all?" Eagleclaw mewed surprisedly. Icestar shrugged as they half ran half padded up the small mountainside.

"I guess that's all the news so far. We are new clans remember. Just set up, barely functioning." she mewed. Her deputy grunted in half-hearted agreement.

They raced up the mountainside, Icestar managing to stay at the lead having regained almost full use of her leg, and settled down in their separate dens to sleep.


	21. POSTPONING

**HEY GUYS:**

**Sorry, but I have to postpone this story until I've finished one I'm working on right now. (it's a Hunger Games/Divergent crossover x Here's the link if you want it: **** s/8478770/2/Faction-before-blood****) It's just that I'm so slow with updating anyway, and school starts tomorrow, so I can't write nearly as much. **

**I'll take this down as soon as I've finished. **

**Thanks for reading x**

**Buh-bye for now xxxxx**


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